Speaking as a child who was bullied in school, it can be traumatic at all times. The best thing for parents to do is to watch their children. If you pay attention to their social behaviors, it's pretty easy to tell if he is being made fun of or picked on. In addition, don't deny the obvious, in grade school children get picked on for being different, so if there is something about your child that is noticeably different, it's a good sign they're being bullied. You need to teach them that even though people make fun of them for being different, when they grow up, being an individual means everything. Thanks Bill, Allan.