Anonymous wrote:Sorry for my poor English. My DD is in 4th grade at FCPS and rides the school bus everyday since K and she loves it. This year there is a new group of older kids (in 6th grade) that starts to cause trouble at the bus stop. They never get in line and when the bus comes, they just cut in front of the younger kids to try to get on the bus first. I usually stay behind to chat with the other parents at the bus stop so I really didn't notice it until last week. When I see the older kids cut in front of my DD, I stopped them. They stopped and didn't say anything. But the next day, they did it again and I once again stopped them. They gave the "the look" but did it again the following days. They cut in line everyday. I told the bus driver, the bus monitors but no one said or did anything. So I told my daughter to just ignore it and let them get on the bus first. Now I need to mention that my DD is the nicest kid you would ever met. She is rarely get mad, always care about others. For example, if she was playing with a toy or reading a book in class, another kid walked by and took it from her, she didn't say anything. I asked her why and her answer would be maybe that person needs it more than her and that she can play/read it later, no big deal. Her past teachers noticed that and told me that I needed to teach DD how to stand up for herself otherwise people would just walk all over her when she grows up.

So back to the problem, this morning, the usual thing happen: the bus came, the older kids cut in line in front of my DD. But I don't know what got into DD this morning, she didn't yield to them as usual, she just kept walking ahead. Then to my horror, two kids started pushing and shoving my daughter to the side, tried to block the door steps to not let my daughter in. My daughter is half that girl's size. She almost fell down to the ground. I came running over and yell at them. They denied and said that they didn't push anyone. I am so frustrated. I don't know what to do. The driver doesn't seem to care. She said she didn't see anything. The bus patrols were right there but didn't say anything because they are probably scared of those kids too. I do not take my DD to the bus stop everyday and I'm afraid that those kids would try to do something worse to my DD if they don't see me there. What should I do? Who should I talk to? Their teachers? The principal? Is this problem serious enough to bring it to the principal's attention? Is this bullying?

Thanks for reading my post.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. 10:01 "Let them on, who cares...This is about learning how to turn the other cheek". This is exactly what the other parents at the bus stop told me. Basically, they said not to cause more trouble or who knows what the older kids would do to DD when they are on the bus. The bus monitors are actually 5th, 6th graders so they are not very effective.

Yes, OP, you are getting advice as to what is normally accepted behavior in the DC area and I would follow it. If you knew they are rude and cut in line, you should have just told your child to hang back for a second because you already know what they are going to do. Plus, she has to learn when to pick a fight and when not to. You won't always be there to defend her. I am all for standing up for yourself but she needs to know when not to pick a fight she can't win. The only time I would have stepped in is if in cutting the line the bigger kids pushed my kid around.

PS I said in the DC area because I am from another city where being aggressive is more the norm, but even then I am not sure you would be considered right. It would be expected that the bigger kids would by virtue of being bigger just jostle their way to the front. Then again, it would also be more accepted for a parent to direct a few choice words at the kids at the bus stop.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. 10:01 "Let them on, who cares...This is about learning how to turn the other cheek". This is exactly what the other parents at the bus stop told me. Basically, they said not to cause more trouble or who knows what the older kids would do to DD when they are on the bus. The bus monitors are actually 5th, 6th graders so they are not very effective.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. 10:01 "Let them on, who cares...This is about learning how to turn the other cheek". This is exactly what the other parents at the bus stop told me. Basically, they said not to cause more trouble or who knows what the older kids would do to DD when they are on the bus. The bus monitors are actually 5th, 6th graders so they are not very effective.