My son’s friend is being bullied at school. Do I tell his Mom?

Question: My son is eight. He came home from school today and told me that his good friend is getting picked on by other kids who call him a wimp and a geek because he is quiet and non-confrontational. I know the boy’s Mom. Do I tell her?

Answer: Would you want to be told if your son was being harassed or abused? Since I know the answer is ‘‘yes,’’ you have your answer. There’s little reason to allow kids to be harassed or abused. If something similar was done to an employee in the workplace, there would be intervention. School should be no different. With kids, being protected is doubly important because they can otherwise develop coping methods that are counterproductive. A wisdom from nature applies: When the dominant do not protect the vulnerable, then the vulnerable seek to become dominant. Little wonder that so many of the boys who have acted violently at school had been picked on by other kids.