DS given melatonin gummies as prank by “friends at sleepover

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - any update?

We did find out some of this was uploaded to TikTok so we had to escalate our reactions a bit. Coaches have been great as have a few parents. So we feel mostly supported.


We’re getting it all figured out and I appreciate the feedback.

Holy ****.

I have an 8 year old, and this whole thread is just making me dread 5 years from now.

Good luck, OP. I’m glad you’ve found some supportive parents and I’m glad the coach is on your side.

Also, props to *you* for ignoring the trolls and naysayers on this thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - any update?

We did find out some of this was uploaded to TikTok so we had to escalate our reactions a bit. Coaches have been great as have a few parents. So we feel mostly supported.


We’re getting it all figured out and I appreciate the feedback.

So sorry OP. Go after them with all you've got. I hope son is ok and glad the coach is supporting you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since there is overlap between the team and DS's school I think further hazing or retaliation may occur, even if he leaves the team, esp if you push to have any of the kids kicked off the team. It wasn't an event in isolation, it was more or less the whole team.

I'd have a plan for that, even if they don't have classes together, it is still easy to target an individual in halls, cafeteria, etc. or to spread rumors.

OP, I'd file a police report as there are likely videos on social media and there may be more fall out.

I'm glad the immediate medical consequences were not worse but I think there will be fall out to come and DS is going to need support it does not sound like he is getting from his dad re: how to keep himself safe from a group.

For those wondering why OPs son didn’t want to do anything about this, I suspect the bolded is why. When you’ve been victimized, the fear of retaliation for taking action is very very real, especially at this age and for a kid who just wants to fit in.

I’m sorry your child is going through this, OP. sending strength.

I am the poster you quoted and doing NOTHING is not a safe choice either. Look how that turned out for OP's poor son the first time. Even if he does nothing, this is likely not the end. It is almost guaranteed there are videos and they may well continue to spread rumors or bully even if he is not on the team. There is some overlap with his school. He can start elsewhere, put distance and keep the old sweet friends. OP, that is the advice that tends to be most effective re: safety, distance.

Ugh I hate to say this but I bet there are pics and videos out there. So sorry your son had to endure that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - any update?

We did find out some of this was uploaded to TikTok so we had to escalate our reactions a bit. Coaches have been great as have a few parents. So we feel mostly supported.


We’re getting it all figured out and I appreciate the feedback.

Holy ****.

I have an 8 year old, and this whole thread is just making me dread 5 years from now.

Good luck, OP. I’m glad you’ve found some supportive parents and I’m glad the coach is on your side.

Also, props to *you* for ignoring the trolls and naysayers on this thread

This.

[Anonymous]

Op I have read this post from beginning to end. I share the sentiments of everyone else. I’m glad you reported it to the parents, now it needs to go to the police for assault and battery. Also please get your son therapy. So many kids hurt themselves after being bullied/shamed etc especially now hearing that some of this was uploaded to Tik Tok.

I think it’s important that we as parents protect our kids when we know what the greater outcome would be if we didn’t . Losing friends/not playing on the soccer team is short sighted. I am happy that you realized this. I also want to thank you for sharing. I spoke about this situation with my young sons and husband to see what their reactions would be and they were all infuriated and agreed that the police should be called. I also shared your story as a lesson for my sons. My boys are “nerds” and will most likely end up being the butt of someone’s jokes as they get older. I want them to feel empowered to stand up to bullies not just for themselves but for others.

I wish your son well. I even said a prayer for him and you and DH. For peace, for comfort and for strength as you all navigate this unfortunate situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op I have read this post from beginning to end. I share the sentiments of everyone else. I’m glad you reported it to the parents, now it needs to go to the police for assault and battery. Also please get your son therapy. So many kids hurt themselves after being bullied/shamed etc especially now hearing that some of this was uploaded to Tik Tok.

I think it’s important that we as parents protect our kids when we know what the greater outcome would be if we didn’t . Losing friends/not playing on the soccer team is short sighted. I am happy that you realized this. I also want to thank you for sharing. I spoke about this situation with my young sons and husband to see what their reactions would be and they were all infuriated and agreed that the police should be called. I also shared your story as a lesson for my sons. My boys are “nerds” and will most likely end up being the butt of someone’s jokes as they get older. I want them to feel empowered to stand up to bullies not just for themselves but for others.

I wish your son well. I even said a prayer for him and you and DH. For peace, for comfort and for strength as you all navigate this unfortunate situation.

+1 OP-sending you the same. Praying that your son, you and your family come through this difficult situation with positive outcomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - any update?

We did find out some of this was uploaded to TikTok so we had to escalate our reactions a bit. Coaches have been great as have a few parents. So we feel mostly supported.


We’re getting it all figured out and I appreciate the feedback.

Just wanted to say I’m sorry this happened to your son, and really admire you all for handling this in the way you have.

[Anonymous]

OP I have a quirky DS in high school. He finally found a few similar friends and is happy.

Your story really got to me as I used to think if he could just become part of a team or group he’d be accepted. I was devastated for him when he was cut from a high school team. Now I realize this may not have been the answer we were looking for after all.

I feel horrible about what happened to your son and I hope this doesn’t have any long term effects on him. I’m so sorry this happened. Kids can be so cruel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS(15) went to a sleepover Saturday night and was given melatonin gummies as a prank by his “friends”.


It was about 14 boys camping in one of the boys backyard. They were watching movies on an outdoor screen and eating snacks. One of the boys fixed DS a plate of various snacks that included fruit snacks with melatonin gummies mixed in.

We don’t know exactly how much he ate but probably potentially as many as 15. He said towards the end of the movie he started feeling very drowsy and dizzy and ended up falling asleep. This was probably around 10:45pm. He woke up around 1:30am feeling sick and ended up vomiting, felt better and continued to sleep. He assumed he ate too much junk.

He said he had a very hard time waking up and when he did the other boys were laughing and asking “sleep well?” “We’re you tired last night?” and they had also written on his face and hidden a lot of his items.

One of the boys ended up disclosing that they had given him (and only him) melatonin gummies last night. Then apparently all the other boys laughed and said it was a prank.

DS texted me to pick him up and I got him a round 11:00am and he was still super groggy. I assumed they were up all night. He then got nauseous again and I had to pull over the car for him to vomit. I was slightly worried they had been drinking and when I asked he then he told me about the melatonin prank. I was super concerned and we ended up going to urgent care after calling poison control.

They ran a few test and did bloodwork and everything came back normal (no drugs or alcohol in system). They were not able to test for levels of melatonin in his blood at this urgent care center.

He got some Zofran, fluids and napped while being observed and he is now totally fine.

He is begging me not to confront the parents but I find this behavior very very concerning.

All these boys are on the same soccer team but DS is the odd man out and has been picked on by a few of the boys before. I’m not sure if every single boy was involved or not, but they all seemed to at least be aware from what DS told me.

I 100% believe DS as be does not lie. He’s a great kid but has some issues socializing and so often becomes the target of his peers.

What if they had given him something else? Something riskier than Melatonin gummies? What are these boys going to do in 3 years in college? They have time to mature and understand what they did was wrong but I believe their parents should know.

DS says this will make things much worse for him, which I also understand.

Thoughts?

What they did was illegal. If that was my kid that did it he would have so much hell to pay including no soccer for the year and no sleepovers host or attend for 2 or more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - any update?

We did find out some of this was uploaded to TikTok so we had to escalate our reactions a bit. Coaches have been great as have a few parents. So we feel mostly supported.


We’re getting it all figured out and I appreciate the feedback.

If they are in school together . School needs to be advised. This is horrible op.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your son was assaulted, again and again and again. Each time he ate a gummy and nobody stopped him. Each time a marker touched his skin and nobody stopped it. Each moment he slept and nobody went to tell an adult.

Yes, please please please report this.

Oh good lord. Report it, but don’t go down the path of this loony tune.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your son was assaulted, again and again and again. Each time he ate a gummy and nobody stopped him. Each time a marker touched his skin and nobody stopped it. Each moment he slept and nobody went to tell an adult.

Yes, please please please report this.

Oh good lord. Report it, but don’t go down the path of this loony tune.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did the coach respond? I saw the parent responses, but am hoping to not have to weed through 20 pages.

OP has gone MIA - may have been a troll...

Jeff said this was not a troll.

[Anonymous]

Holy ****.

I have an 8 year old, and this whole thread is just making me dread 5 years from now.

Good luck, OP. I’m glad you’ve found some supportive parents and I’m glad the coach is on your side.

Also, props to *you* for ignoring the trolls and naysayers on this thread

It's a bad situation for sure, but the reason it stands out is that it is not something typical. I have a 16 year old and a 14 year old, and neither have encountered anything like this.

Sorry this happened, OP.

[Anonymous]

So sorry, OP.