My DD is 2.5 and we live right across the street from another 2.5 year old who is only one month older than my DD. The two have been playing together since they both started walking. My DD is a relatively calm, non-aggressive kid who has learned to share quite well without being forced, etc. My DD's friend across the street is the complete opposite. She has always been aggressive, unable to share, massive meltdowns over everything. She is also quite a bit bigger than my DD, at least height wise. Since they started playing together, the friend has always been aggressive/violent towards my DD. It started with tackling or random hitting, pushing her off things, that sort of thing. I chalked it up to normal toddler-hood, but the behaviour has not stopped a year later.
This summer, the friend's mom was home all summer with her and I noticed a huge difference in her demeanor (also makes a difference if we play with her in the morning or late evening -- evening is always worse). The mom was very much on top of the violence and would put a stop to it immediately. Most recently I witnessed was the friend grabbing my DD by the hair and jerking her to the ground. Then last night, my DH took her over there to play, and she was kicked and kneed in the face by the friend (all these incidents are with absolutely no provocation).
These are just a few examples. The two play together outside before and after dinner quite often since she is right across the street. Sometimes all is well, but for the most part there is some incident whereby my DD is "attacked" by the friend.
I guess my question is: what do we do? The parents are on it for the most part, although the mom much more than the dad. We have become relatively close with these people and are now both expecting our second children (they will be 6 months apart). We quite enjoy their company, and love that my DD has a friend so close in age right across the street. But sometimes the violence/aggression is insane and we are at a loss for how to handle it.
I do not see behaviour like this is any other child my DD plays with. There are the usual 2.5 year old spats over toys or maybe a little push or hit here and there, but nothing comes close to what we experience with the friend.
Thoughts and insights would be very much appreciated. Sorry this is so long and convoluted!
This summer, the friend's mom was home all summer with her and I noticed a huge difference in her demeanor (also makes a difference if we play with her in the morning or late evening -- evening is always worse). The mom was very much on top of the violence and would put a stop to it immediately. Most recently I witnessed was the friend grabbing my DD by the hair and jerking her to the ground. Then last night, my DH took her over there to play, and she was kicked and kneed in the face by the friend (all these incidents are with absolutely no provocation).
These are just a few examples. The two play together outside before and after dinner quite often since she is right across the street. Sometimes all is well, but for the most part there is some incident whereby my DD is "attacked" by the friend.
I guess my question is: what do we do? The parents are on it for the most part, although the mom much more than the dad. We have become relatively close with these people and are now both expecting our second children (they will be 6 months apart). We quite enjoy their company, and love that my DD has a friend so close in age right across the street. But sometimes the violence/aggression is insane and we are at a loss for how to handle it.
I do not see behaviour like this is any other child my DD plays with. There are the usual 2.5 year old spats over toys or maybe a little push or hit here and there, but nothing comes close to what we experience with the friend.
Thoughts and insights would be very much appreciated. Sorry this is so long and convoluted!
