What can you do when DC makes friends with a mean/nasty child?

[Artichohohohokes]

My DD is in yr 1. She has a best friend who she is fixated on. She loves this girl. Her face lights up on seeing her. Most of our dolls have been renamed in honour of this girl. They play together every break and lunch.

Sometimes DD comes home upset because this friend has been mean to her. It's nothing huge but it's ongoing. The girl tells her she can't run properly, that she is a baby because she can't ride a bike, that she mustn't play with other girls, that her toys are not as nice as X's toys. I have heard the girl say many similar things when playing at our house so it's not DD making it up.

I've tried encouraging DD to play with others but she worships this girl despite often being upset by her. My heart sinks when I think of this relationship defining her formative friendships. Any ideas for how to handle this?

Have you invited any other child to play? It's annoying when they do this...my DD did it too and even though she is at a new school she is STILL friends with miss bossy pants! Mine is in year 3....I just give DD ammo...so if she comes to me and says "X said that my bedroom isn't as nice as hers."

I will give her a comeback like "It's not as big but it's FAR more grown up."

ANd I do this kind of thing all the time in rder to tech DD how to defend herself without bein antagonistic...when another child took to pushing and pulling DD around in year 1, I would role play with dd...I would get her to be the pushy kid and she would re-enact a situation...then I would respond as DD might in the future...I made her laugh a lot by dong this...I turned it into a joke...but really she was learning and getting her upset out of her system too.

Just invite other kids to play...

Yes...encourage other friendships. Invite other children to play and for tea.