AITAH for taking my son out to celebrate after he got suspended for punching a bully
AITA
My son is 14 and he got suspended from school last week. When I first got the call I was upset because obviously suspensions arent great and I dont want him thinking violence is okay. But then he told me what actually happened.
Theres this girl in his grade who keeps to herself. She wears older clothes and doesnt really have many friends. Apparently a group of guys have been messing with her for months. Knocking her stuff off her desk making comments about her clothes just being cruel for no reason.
Last week one of them walked up to her at lunch and poured his drink all over her tray while she was eating. She just sat there crying and nobody did anything. My son walked over and told the kid to apologize. The kid laughed at him. So my son punched him.
The school called me and said he violated the zero tolerance policy and would be suspended for three days. I didnt argue with them. I told my son he knows hes not supposed to hit people and that there are consequences for that even when someone deserves it.
But then I took him out for dinner that night. We went to his favorite restaurant and I told him that even though he handled it wrong I was proud of him for not just standing there while someone got humiliated. We talked about other ways he couldve handled it and he understands. But I also wanted him to know that standing up for someone matters even if the execution wasnt perfect.
My ex found out and lost it on me. She said I basically rewarded him for being violent and that taking him out to dinner sends the message that punching people is fine as long as you have a good reason. She said I undermined the schools punishment and now hes going to think he can hit anyone as long as he feels justified.
I told her I already talked to him about not using his fists and he understands the suspension was fair. But I wasnt going to let him feel like he did something shameful when he was the only one who stood up for a girl everyone else ignored.
AITAH for how I handled it
