Dr. Andrew Rochford Says He’s Completely Broken Over Son’s Constant Bullying!

Bullying of anyone is hurtful but it’s particularly heartbreaking when it’s directed at your own child. Especially if it’s for something they have no control over- like the colour of their skin or hair.

Dr. Andrew Rockford, radio host and TV personality, recently took to Instagram to voice his utter frustration and heartbreak of his son Archie’s constant bullying from his classmates at school.

The 10-year-old is teased for the colour of his hair by bullies who call him ‘Ranga’ almost daily. The heartbroken dad, said he’s had enough of seeing his child crying over the name calling and says these bullies must have picked up such disgusting ways from someone around them.

The doctor posted an open letter to his Instagram account where he addressed the fact that we as a society need to stop thinking it’s funny to make fun of people that are different. Kids see and hear all this language going on around them and it gives them justification to speak like that also.

“Take a really long hard look at yourself,” he wrote. “Because if you perpetuate victimisation in your house, or your workplace or on a stage or the radio or television… YOU are the problem.

This is my son Archie. He is 10. And I wouldn’t normally share something like this, but I HAVE to..I can’t hold this in anymore. He is the most beautiful boy you could ever meet. He cares about everyone,… genuinely…. with every bit of his heart. I have tried to teach him the importance of treating others the way you want to be treated, it’s a simple idea, and I could never have expected him to care so much about those words. If you fall, he will pick you up..if you’re sad, he will try to make you smile..if you cry, he will hold your hand. And as I write this, I cry. You can see my beautiful boy has red hair…. beautiful red hair….He didn’t choose his hair…. he can’t change his hair….and he should not have too. The first time he told me he was being bullied because of his hair I encouraged him to ‘be strong buddy, you’re amazing’ ,and they are just going for the ‘easy target’….But when he comes to me and says he’s being called a ‘f**king ranga’ TARGETED for something he cannot change, I am broken…completely broken. He is brave and strong and a far better person than most, and he tells me ‘ don’t worry Dad, I’m fine’ . But I’m not ..not at all….I’m sick of the hypocrisy & intolerance. I. AM.DONE. To ALL who think it’s ‘funny’ to discriminate and bully someone for something they CANNOT change….you are no better than a racist or a homophobe. You throw it out there in an attempt to seem witty or clever, you are NOT. You are as shallow and ignorant and PATHETIC as all the other narrow-minded bigots that inhabit our beautiful planet. So take a really long hard look at yourself..because if you perpetuate victimisation in your house, or your workplace or on a stage or the radio or television….YOU are the problem…YOU! The boys that are picking on my son, weren’t born to be so mean, they have learnt from you. And to all the gangly kids, the kids with big ears, the ones born in different countries, or with different coloured skin, a different way of speaking, or different ANYTHING that you can’t change..I am here for you..100 percent. I will fight for you, just as I will fight for Archie….because ALL of this has to end. #stop #bullying

A post shared by Dr Andrew Rochford (@drandrewrochford) on Mar 20, 2017 at 11:42pm PDT

This is my son Archie. He is 10. And I wouldn’t normally share something like this, but I HAVE to..I can’t hold this in anymore.

He is the most beautiful boy you could ever meet. He cares about everyone,… genuinely…. with every bit of his heart.

I have tried to teach him the importance of treating others the way you want to be treated, it’s a simple idea, and I could never have expected him to care so much about those words.

If you fall, he will pick you up..if you’re sad, he will try to make you smile..if you cry, he will hold your hand.

And as I write this, I cry. You can see my beautiful boy has red hair…. beautiful red hair….He didn’t choose his hair…. he can’t change his hair….and he should not have to.

The first time he told me he was being bullied because of his hair I encouraged him to ‘be strong buddy, you’re amazing’ ,and they are just going for the ‘easy target’….

But when he comes to me and says he’s being called a ‘f***ing ranga’ TARGETED for something he cannot change, I am broken… completely broken.

He is brave and strong and a far better person than most, and he tells me ‘ don’t worry Dad, I’m fine’ . But I’m not ..not at all….I’m sick of the hypocrisy & intolerance.

I. AM.DONE.

To ALL who think it’s ‘funny’ to discriminate and bully someone for something they CANNOT change….you are no better than a racist or a homophobe.

You throw it out there in an attempt to seem witty or clever, you are NOT. You are as shallow and ignorant and PATHETIC as all the other narrow-minded bigots that inhabit our beautiful planet.

So take a really long hard look at yourself..because if you perpetuate victimisation in your house, or your workplace or on a stage or the radio or television….YOU are the problem…YOU!

The boys that are picking on my son, weren’t born to be so mean, they have learnt from you.

And to all the gangly kids, the kids with big ears, the ones born in different countries, or with different coloured skin, a different way of speaking, or different ANYTHING that you can’t change..I am here for you..100 percent.

I will fight for you, just as I will fight for Archie….because ALL of this has to end. #stop #bullying”

Such heartbreak for a parent who should be able to send their child to school safe in the knowledge they will be looked after and protected from other children who somehow think it’s okay to make others feel bad.

While school-yard teasing is nothing new it doesn’t make it better or right. The issue is a complex one. Why is the child a bully? Usually the bullied child becomes a bully if they are picked on for too long. Why are schools allowing this behaviour to continue? But most importantly perhaps is where are children picking up this behaviour from?

While no parent wants to think they are to blame for their children acting out I do wonder whether we sometimes turn a blind eye. Especially when it comes to boys. How often have you heard a mum say “Oh, he’s just being a boy. Boys are different to girls. Just let boys sort their stuff out. Boys are meant to be physical with each other.”

Yeah…no. I disagree. This whole boys will be boys bullshit is just an excuse for bad behaviour. I remember watching a child constantly push another boy to the ground during Auskick one year while the mum stood next me watching the whole thing unfold. I had no idea she was the mum of the ‘bully’ so I turned to her and said ‘OMG what is that boy doing to Gary?’

The look she gave me said it all. “What do you mean?” she snarled.

“Umm..he keeps pushing the other boy down.” I responded.

“Who are you? The play police?”

“I’m guessing that’s your son then?”

“It sure is. And mind your own business. This is footy. They’re boys. It’s what they’re meant to be doing.”

Rightio…I thought to myself. Mental note, stay away from this lunatic and her child. And while this is just a small example of a child not being pulled up for his bad behaviour it highlights perfectly how children think it’s okay to act and speak a certain way.

Let me clarify this is not the case for all bullies. I have some gorgeous friends who are baffled by the way their child speaks to them. They discipline him, put him in time out, threaten to wash his mouth with soap and yet he continues to pick on other kids at his kinder.

However for the majority of cases I strongly believe the bully has a) either been picked on so much that the only way he can deal with it is to continue the cycle with someone weaker than himself b) there are underlying issues going on such as physical or emotional abuse at home or c) someone in his environment hasn’t identified or dealt with his bad behaviour, or they are in complete denial.

Apologies also for using ‘he’ constantly. Girls are just as vicious in the playground as boys are. But that’s a whole other post.

Photos: Instagram