Man refuses to hit bully who slapped son, drags him to vice-principal’s office instead: ‘Who am I to hit him?’

A man’s video about how he handled a school bully who slapped his son has drawn praise online, with many netizens applauding his parenting approach.

Mr Shaun Yeo, whose TikTok handle is @shaunyeoy, posted the video on May 10 with the caption, “Lead by example. Show support during the ‘downs’. Celebrate the small wins. Always be there. Always be available.”

In the clip, Mr Yeo, 42, said his son had been slapped by a school bully outside school grounds, adding that the bully had also shouted gang slogans.

“So I rushed down to where my son was, and I must say that I am overwhelmed with emotions when I’m on the way there because this is not the first time the boy hit my son,” said Mr Yeo, a content creator and former drug abuser who now speaks at anti-drug events and community programmes.

Despite his anger, Mr Yeo said he made a conscious decision not to retaliate.

“Who am I to hit him? He’s also someone else’s son, right?” he said, adding he did not want to teach his son that violence was the solution to problems.

Instead, he brought the bully to the vice-principal’s office.

“I just wanted to let him know that this father very ‘on’ one, so don’t come near my son,” he explained. “That’s what I meant about being present.”

He concluded at the end of the video: “Your kids just need a safe space to grow up in and know that my daddy will always be here.”

The clip has since garnered more than 414,000 views, over 13,100 reactions and hundreds of comments.

‘How to subscribe to get a dad like you?’

Netizens were impressed with Mr Yeo’s handling of the situation.

“Wah I don't know what will I do if I am in the same situation, man (sic),” one netizen commented, who also asked why the bully agreed to follow him to the VP’s office.

Mr Yeo responded that the bully “can’t run” as he was in the same school as his son. “It’s either I bring him to VP office today, tomorrow or next week.”

“How to subscribe to get a dad like you?” asked another TikToker jokingly. “I want to order this father…Shopee got?” another added in jest.

Others commended him for staying calm despite the circumstances.

“Well done, bro. I am sure your son is proud to have you as his dad,” said one.

Mr Yeo responded humbly to the praise.

“I’m not as good as you think,” he replied to one comment .“We are not perfect, la, but we try our best,” he wrote in another.

To someone who said he wanted to learn from him, Mr Yeo responded: “There are better people out there to learn from bro. I’m still a work in progress. Still trying to improve for my kids.

Mr Yeo has previously spoken publicly about his 20-year struggle with drug addiction, which included several stints in prison.

Speaking to Stomp, Mr Yeo said his son, a 13-year-old student at a school in Tampines, is doing fine.

Mr Yeo, who also has a 19-year-old son and a 16-year-old daughter, said being present for his children is especially important to him as he lacked support growing up after his father died young.

“He knows whenever he calls upon me, I will definitely be there. This is the assurance I give to all my kids,” he said.

“I had no one else when I was younger. So I’ve vowed to be there for my kids.”

Asked if his son was proud of how he handled the incident, Mr Yeo replied: “Proud or not, I don’t know, but I know he feels safe with me around.”

He also explained why he chose not to retaliate physically.

“He’s smaller-sized than me. And what kind of message would I be giving my son if I hit him?” he said. “I think whatever we do, we need to consider our kids first. That’s the number one rule I live by.”

According to Mr Yeo, the boy has since apologised to both him and his son.

“The bully apologised to my son. And called me using my son’s handphone to apologise to me as well,” he said.

Mr Yeo provided an update to the case on May 20, sharing a reply by the school’s vice-principal.

Acknowledging Mr Yeo’s video, the vice-principal shared that the school had taken disciplinary action against the boy, which include suspension and corrective work order.

“We continue to monitor him closely to ensure that he learns and improves his behaviour,” said the vice-principal.

Editor’s note: This article was updated with a response from the school.

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