How can, and should, I protect my 2yr old from mean toddlers?!

[JulieW75]

My son is almost 2 and has a very quiet and loving nature. He is big for age but very gentle and non-assertive. I really struggle when I see other children the same age or a bit older pushing him out of the way, taking toys from him, telling him he isn't allowed to play near them etc. He just stands there looking confused and forlorn. I don't want him to be mean back but I do want him to stand up for himself.

Do I just leave him to muddle this out on his own or...what?

Currently my approcah is to step in and talk to the other child if I feel it necessary e.g. earlier today a 3yr old was physically pushing him out of the way aggressively so I asked that child to stop. I then talk to my son when we're alone about the incident to try to help him understand and tell him I'm proud of him. It breaks my heart to see my boy being hurt (emotionally) but I realise he has to learn these lessons.

Any advice please?

Julie

I intervene if another child is pushing or snatching toys from my child (or if my child is the snatcher/pusher) I usually say "we don't snatch/push, let's play together" and then I play with them for a short while.

If it's other children not wanting my child to join in their game I just try to interest my dc in something else.

I don't like it when other children are unkind to my ds, but I feel a lot worse when my ds is the one being unkind!

I step in if my child is being physically threatened - pushed or hit. In terms of toy snatching at toddler groups often the other child is long gone with the toy so I let it go, but I have two toddlers close in age who are learning about sharing (or not) at home together so they're already working out that not everyone plays nicely and I'm teaching them as best I can about sharing and turn taking. They are nearly 2 and 3 now. When they were younger I would intervene with snatching as some older kids of 3 or 4 would dash past DS (crawling) and snatch from him and I wasn't having that.