Bullied.  How my son handled it in 1st grade.
(Sandra S. Corona)

Imagine my surprise when my only son, Doug, was caught selling Playboy pinups on the playground in the FIRST grade! He was FIVE and we didn't even get that magazine.

It seems he and his friend, Robbie, also five and a fellow classmate, were being forced to had over their lunch money to bullies before going into the building. Afraid to tell the teacher or their parents, they came up with a plan for Robbie to bring in his dad's Playbook magazines and the boys to sell the pictures (tear up the magazine sheet by sheet) to the bullies to get their lunch money back.

They also gave money to the others robbed by the bullies but had some left over.

The business was going fairly well until a teacher caught Doug putting a magazine underneath the trash bin on the play ground and called me to school ~ the principle's office, naturally.

Doug gave up Robbie (he had to explain where he got the magazine) and Robbie's dad was FURIOUS! They were collectibles!

Still, it was embarrassing to us adults that the little ones had to resort to such measures NOT to be bullied or go hungry.

P.S. The bullies, Doug and Robbie ALL got detention but the teachers were more diligent in watching the kids going in and out the building than those playing on the playground.

Doug had been beaten (by some of the same bullies at the same school) while in kindergarten.

Just prior to the end of school, several older boys ripped BOTH of Doug's hearing-aids off and threw them over the fence where there were two HUGE guard dogs. One was holding the palm of his head on Doug's forehead while Doug, uselessly, swung both hands at the larger boy. Then Robbie, Doug's best friend, but shorter, stout, ran into the larger boys stomach, knocked him down and began 'punching his lights out.'

When others jumped on Robbie, Doug got into the fray which resulted in him getting his nose bloodied.

They were late coming home. I was tempted to walk to greet them just when Robbie, holding Doug up, opened the screen door. "The bullies threw Doug's hearing aids to the dogs."

I checked Doug out as I told Robbie to go fetch his parents. His nose had stopped bleeding when Mr. & Mrs. Gue and I (Doug's dad was at work) marched into the school DEMANDING that someone fetch Doug's hearing-aids and, since the boys were beaten, who was 'watching' the kids as they left the building.

Doug got his hearing aids back (I switched Doug's ear molds with mine to ensure they were still working) and the school PROMISED it wouldn't happen again. Duh!