Any tips to help a 5 year old who kids?

[SJaneS]

Am at a bit of a loss how to deal with this. My 5 year old has had a bit of a rough year in year 1- nursery and reception were pretty much all you could hope for academically and socially whereas this year she has been bullied by one of her old gang (thankfully, this has stopped). She's gone from being a happy seemingly popular kid to a little girl who doesn't want to go to school. She has friends as far as I can make out, but sometimes she says she's allowed to play and sometimes not.

What I have noticed is a change in her behaviour - I've seen her shout of tell other children off for the very smallest of reasons and she just seems pretty grumpy and at times bossy with other kids. We've talked about walking in other people's shoes, how words make you feel etc but I'm not getting through! The two girls she plays with most do exhibit pretty similar behaviour to her. How do I get through to her that if you want to make and keep friends, you don't bite their heads off for often no real reason?

[LastingLight]

Can you roleplay at home? Pretend you're one of her friends and play, then if she behaves inappropriately react as the friend would react. Afterwards talk to her about what she could have done differently, then try that scenario? To make it funny you can have 2 hats, the "mom" hat and the "friend" hat which you wear depending on who you are.