We live on a cul-de-sac with lots of kids around. I have a 3yo and a baby. There are three 6yo boys who all live within a few houses of us. Two of them, J and S are very sweet and kind and are around a lot. They come over to get Holden to come play with them in the front yard every day that it's nice outside. I either sit on the front step and knit or watch through the window.
Now on to the third boy, M. I have never spoken to M's parents but I believe that only his mother lives in the house and M and his brother go to another house part of the time. He hasn't been around as much as the other two boys so while I have noticed that he's not very nice, we've only been having issues this past week while the boys are on spring break.
The first incident: Ds was outside with J playing with some figures in the grass. I was watching through the window and saw M come outside and join the boys. I saw him take ds's toy and heard him protest and start to cry. I went out and told ds that it's time to go in and we should get his toy back. By this time J and M were over by M's house and I heard J tell him to give Holden's toy back and not to bring it through the gate to his backyard. Holden followed them through the gate still crying and asking for his toy back. My husband went to retrieve ds and asked M to give the toy back. He lied and said that he just found it. We hoped that he just got carried away and tried to let it be.
Yesterday J, S, M and M's older brother were in M's front yard which is two houses away from ours. Ds brought his new dragon toy (Happy meal toy) out to show them. I was sitting on the step and watching. M wouldn't let ds play with them until he saw the dragon toy which he thought was cool and took from ds to play with. I didn't intervene since ds wasn't upset (just wanted to be included). After a while J and S decided to go into S's house and ds followed them over, they told him he couldn't come (I don't let him go in their houses) and he should go back over to M and his brother. He did and M told him to go away. I went over to bring him inside and asked where his toy was. He didn't know and M said it was in a bush. I checked the bush and noted that M was sitting in a strange position when I went behind him. I didn't find the toy so I brought ds inside and watched through the window as M started to play with ds's toy. I went out and said, "oh great you found it" he looked guilty and said it was in the bush. I took it, said thanks and went back inside.
I'm quite sure this behavior isn't age appropriate since J and S have never taken anything without asking. Am I overreacting to think that this is a real problem? I have already told ds that he shouldn't take his toys outside to play anymore if M is around. What would you do in this situation?
Now on to the third boy, M. I have never spoken to M's parents but I believe that only his mother lives in the house and M and his brother go to another house part of the time. He hasn't been around as much as the other two boys so while I have noticed that he's not very nice, we've only been having issues this past week while the boys are on spring break.
The first incident: Ds was outside with J playing with some figures in the grass. I was watching through the window and saw M come outside and join the boys. I saw him take ds's toy and heard him protest and start to cry. I went out and told ds that it's time to go in and we should get his toy back. By this time J and M were over by M's house and I heard J tell him to give Holden's toy back and not to bring it through the gate to his backyard. Holden followed them through the gate still crying and asking for his toy back. My husband went to retrieve ds and asked M to give the toy back. He lied and said that he just found it. We hoped that he just got carried away and tried to let it be.
Yesterday J, S, M and M's older brother were in M's front yard which is two houses away from ours. Ds brought his new dragon toy (Happy meal toy) out to show them. I was sitting on the step and watching. M wouldn't let ds play with them until he saw the dragon toy which he thought was cool and took from ds to play with. I didn't intervene since ds wasn't upset (just wanted to be included). After a while J and S decided to go into S's house and ds followed them over, they told him he couldn't come (I don't let him go in their houses) and he should go back over to M and his brother. He did and M told him to go away. I went over to bring him inside and asked where his toy was. He didn't know and M said it was in a bush. I checked the bush and noted that M was sitting in a strange position when I went behind him. I didn't find the toy so I brought ds inside and watched through the window as M started to play with ds's toy. I went out and said, "oh great you found it" he looked guilty and said it was in the bush. I took it, said thanks and went back inside.
I'm quite sure this behavior isn't age appropriate since J and S have never taken anything without asking. Am I overreacting to think that this is a real problem? I have already told ds that he shouldn't take his toys outside to play anymore if M is around. What would you do in this situation?
