All About School - The Complete Education Forum and Classifieds

jaisonmonson · Newbie

RE: A good kid.

kuttu · Member

I think I need to preface this story with the fact that I am in Australia, and lucky enough to be in a state where life is largely 'situation normal' for us. I feel for everyone who is not in this position (yet!), but hopefully this story is a little bright spot.

I have recently started Mixed Martial Arts training. I am a fairly unathletic specimen (short, round) but I've actually love MMA and rolling with people who are much fitter and stronger than me. However, it has resulted in a few bruises - some real doozies.

As I was finishing up a class on Friday, one of my year 11s (about 16yo) hung around until the room was empty then came over and asked if I was okay. I replied fairly casually, thinking he was referring to the weird world at the moment, but he pressed on and said, 'I've noticed you've got some marks and bruises. I wanted to ask if you were being hurt.' And guys, my heart just boom-ed. I sincerely thanked him for his concern, and explained the situation, at which he laughed and said 'I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT! But good.' I then asked if he had been in a situation where he had seen these signs before, and he told me that his auntie had had to leave a domestic violence situation, and had lived with them for a few months. I commended him on his empathy, and his courage to ask someone a question that would have been hard to ask, especially someone older. I told him that it was people like him who made the world a safer place for people who were afraid, and that he should always keep asking those types of questions, if he felt it safe to do so.