Not so sure about this whole school bus thing

I interacted with another human being tonight. It was nice.

I hardly ever get outside of my home anymore unless I am working. But one of the only neighbors I like was outside on her swing tonight so I decided to go chat with her for a few minutes. We had a nice conversation and then her daughter started talking about something my son did on the bus this morning.

I wasn't there, so I don't know the whole story, but I listened to the girl and later confirmed with Kaleb that it had happened. Apparently there were two older boys-5th grade possibly-who were telling Kaleb to touch this little girl in inappropriate places. And my son desperately longing to fit and being 'silly' went against what he knew was right and did what they told him to do.

This upsets me. On so many different levels. First of all, why are these other kids even thinking about that? Second, why are they trying to entice a FIRST GRADER to participate? Third, why is MY son listening to them? Fourth...I could go on and on...

I talked to Kaleb about it-told him up front he wasn't in trouble but I wanted him to tell me the truth. He told me they told him to hit this girl and I kept pressing him and he told me what I already heard from the little girl. We talked about it and I told him it worried me that he listened to those boys and that I know he wants to fit it and make friends but those are the kind of people I want him being influenced by. He listened and nodded and seemed to really take in what I was saying.

And then he made me very proud. He suggested (all on his own) that he should sit up in the front of the bus, even though that would mean he couldn't sit with Katherine and her friend Rebecca because they always sit in the back. I thought that was a great suggestion and the fact the he had that idea all on his own really made me proud. He was thinking ahead! He was trying to figure out how he could avoid the situation! What a good boy. I told him I would talk to Katherine about sitting up front, even if it meant that Rebecca didn't sit with her, though I would hope that Rebecca would still sit with Katherine. So Kris and I are going to talk to the kids to re-emphasize that what was happening was not right and Kris will stay down at the bus stop to make sure all three of our kids sit near the front of the bus.