R.K.
The problem with trying to ignore bullying is that it never goes away. We might forget what we wore to prom but we never forget what that mean little kid said in 4th grade. And as unfortunate as that is, it carries with us for a long time.
I don't like the idea of fighting back, especially any form of hitting. But the little kid who remembers being bullied in school wants to say something like 'well at least I don't wet the bed' loudly and in front of the whole class. I like to believe talking to the teacher or principal will help but I know it often doesn't.
Several years ago my son had started a new school as a third grader. We had moved and he only had one real friend who was a neighbor kid. This neighbor kid was in a different room than my son and his class was on a field trip one day. So my son is eating lunch alone and this kid starts picking on him and telling him he's gonna beat my son up. Everytime my son started to get up to tell the lunchroom monitor; the kid just said 'hey I'm just kidding'. Fast forward to the playground and the one kid now has 3 - 4 friends also picking on my son. One of the kids puts my son into a choke hold and my son breaks the hold and decks the kid. One punch and he stopped, he proved his point--don't pick on me. The other kids scattered. And later that day they all end up in the office and get punished. Like I said I don't agree with any form of hitting but... that one punch in third grade and no one ever bullied my son again. The kids got the message loud and clear.
No, I did not teach my kids to hit.