Bullies
Emily had her first experience of bullying today, by a little 2.5 year old girl at the mother and baby group we go to. I think Emily was playing with a baby doll and the little girl had an empty pram, which needed a baby. So as you can work out the little girl took the baby for her pram. Mind you it wasn't this that upset Emily, she is used to sharing toys, it was the fact the little girl wasn't satisfied with just taking the toy as she pushed Emily too.
I think Em wasn't sure how to take this at first, and stood looking as if to say 'what's going on? why are you being mean?' but then she realised and got really upset.
Its very hard in these situations to tell off another persons child. The mom wasn't around, probably off somewhere chatting, and i couldn't not say anything, after-all the little girl needed to know she was wrong. So instead of getting cross I told her that she needed to share the toys. I think she knew she'd done something by the look on her face.
I just need to make sure that Em grows up to be a nice, considerate and sharing child who doesn't let people be mean to her.
Unfortunately, a chap called Neil, who I work with and Warren used to, had experience of this at the extreme end. He was out with his family and saw a kid on his own wrecking a shop display. With no parent around he challenged the kid who promptly yelled ‘DAD!’. Suddenly a 6‘6” rugby-type appeared and squared up to him. If it hadn’t been for his wife he would have been clobbered. Nice!