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Today I was watching a friend's DS. Cole, my DS, was a total jerk to this poor kid. He kept grabbing things out of his hands, taking toys away from him, wouldn't let him play, etc. Finally, after yanking yet another toy out of the other child's hands, and receiving yet another admonishment from me, he picked up a different toy and offered it to his friend. Of course, his friend didn't want it, he wanted the toy Cole had just taken from him, but I do appreciate the thought behind Cole's action. But then, when Cole's friend didn't take the toy, Cole whacked him hard across the face with it!
I was horrified! I yelled, "Cole!!" in this shocked, serious voice (because I was genuinely shocked) and scooped him up and moved him to the other side of the room. Then I picked up his friend, who was crying of course, and comforted him. Cole, meanwhile, screamed and ran out of the room. I could hear Cole crying in the kitchen. So after his friend calmed down, I went in to talk to him and he freaked out. I think he was experiencing a lot of conflicting emotions, i.e. anger, shame, jealousy, etc. and was having a hard time working through them. He did calm down eventually and of his own free will told his friend he was sorry and gave him a hug.
He has slugged a kid a few times over the past couple of weeks, though. Of course we have never hit him, so I thought he would not hit others. Wrong!
I know this is normal toddler behaviour that a lot of little kids go through but I think I thought deep down inside, not MY kid! Well, yeah, my kid.
I can remember back in my early days of parenting ignorance (I am slightly less ignorant now) thinking that kids who hit probably had that behaviour modeled for them by their parents or older siblings. Apparently, not necessarily!
Oh, I hope this phase passes quickly.

He has slugged a kid a few times over the past couple of weeks, though. Of course we have never hit him, so I thought he would not hit others. Wrong!


