When to intervene in snatching of toys and pushing

[HJBeans]

18m DS and I were just at a play cafe we go to regularly and a little boy kept snatching whatever he found to play with. At one point the snatching took place as DS handed the toy to me, so I took it back from the boy and handed it to my son, saying 'my boy is playing with this one' and directed the other child to another toy. He then started the routine with another child (who just walked away from anything he wanted) for a while before starting in on my son again. I watched as he followed DS into a corner and started wrestling a toy from him and as it looked set to escalate I went over and tried taking the toy out of the scrum and redirecting him again. At this point his mother appeared to see me wrestling a toy from her son and picked him up. I apologised for getting involved with her son but said my son kept having toys taken from him. She said her boy was at that age where they snatch things (20m) and cuddled and kissed him. Then we both left.

I feel slightly ridiculous for having been in a tugging match over a toy with someone else's child and mainly feel kids should learn to sort these things out themselves, but what's the right etiquette here and what does it say to my son when he looks over to me for help when he's being pushed about and I either don't get involved or take him away from toys he has every right to be playing with?

[ppeatfruit]

As an ex EY teacher CM/nanny and M of 3 I'd say you did the right thing, it's a normal stage and the 'sharing' comes easier to some dcs than others even when they should've grown out of it. I'd just watch my dc like you did and make sure that he or she isn't pushed about by other dcs who have carers who aren't watching them.

TBH this is better than biting or hair pulling or hitting all of which can be stages that toddlers go through! I always watched mine like a hawk to make sure they weren't being annoying to others and vice versa!