...too tame a word...

I'm admittedly spinning my wheels right now...a veritable stormcloud of emotions...

I'm flip-flopping by the second between sorrow and fury and everything in between.

What's got me in a tizzy?

Mister Man got attacked on the bus ride home today. 

The girl who sits opposite him decided to up her game today, from poking fun at his name-appearance-intelligence to physically attacking him with the metal end of her seatbelt.  Repeatedly.  In the leg, and face.  And pinching him.

Let me digress for a moment...  This is hardly the first incident like this that we've dealt with this year.  There have been issues on the playground, the busline and the bus itself several times.  And I am losing my patience and restraint.

School policy requests parents to inform the appropriate school official and then wait patiently while the school launches an investigation into the incident.  The bus supervisor I spoke with directly after my son told me what had happened inquired as to whether I was comfortable with her speaking to my son tomorrow morning about the incident.   Agreeing, I wryly stated he's become all to accustomed to these sort of fact/discovery missions this year.

Here's the thing...Mister Man is an awesome amazing miracle boy.  In his young life he's overcome immense obstacles and lived through some pretty crappy drama.  He's never given in or given up...or lost any of his innocent kindness to others.  Those who know him speak of his immensely sympathetic nature and of his willingness to make others happy.  His autism makes things difficult on a daily basis, and yet he defies the odds and makes my heart soar.

I'm tired of this bullying crap.  I feel like that word 'bully' doesn't say it at all. It's far to tame a word for such vile behaviour.   Let's call them what they are...monsters.  Little malicious monsters who go out of their way to prey on someone else.  Criminals in the making...and in the act...because let's face it, what they are doing is considered criminal in an adult.

I may sound vicious in writing this...but I don't come close to being nearly as vicious as the children who have gone after my son this year. 

I'm so scared for him.  Scared that there will come a day where having a warrior for a Mami isn't enough...when my strength and love and comfort won't cover the pain he's suffered at the hands of his supposed peers. 

The news these days is full of parents nightmares as the damage these monsters do ends in depression and suicide attempts and worse. 

I'm scared. I'm furious and sad and defensive and comforting...but under it all, I'm scared for my son...