Worried about DS getting bullied - am I being over-protective?

[ChocolateMouse]

DS (15 months) is such a gentle boy and he likes to pat/stroke/cuddle and kiss people, (especially Mummy & Daddy ), often. He hasn't mixed with large groups of children very often but often plays in twos.

Today, I invited a friend over with her DS who is the same age. Whilst they were both playing with DS's toys, my friend's DS started to take DS's toys away from him, throw them and even run into him with DS's baby walker. He threw DS's favourite Teddy on the floor which DS then promptly went over to to pick him up and pat him. My friend didn't seem too worried about her DS's behaviour but then again it wasn't extremely heavy-handed. I felt awful for not keeping a closer eye on things whilst I was getting snacks ready in the kitchen. The thing is, it was almost heartbreaking because DS's reaction was to try and hug my friend's DS, pat him and try to give him a kiss, only to have him back away from DS. Poor DS looked neither surprised/unsurprised or upset about the events that had led upto this but my heart just sank for him.

My worry is, I am going to have to accept the fact that DS is going to have this often as he grows but how do I protect his emotional well-being? Could this kind of reaction to his affections mean that he may stop being as affectionate? Am I bringing him up to be too affectionate? Am I being completely silly and paranoid???

you are not bringing him up to be too affectionate!

But yes, you are being slightly silly and paranoid
Stop worrying.
He is just a baby and he sounds LOVELY.

Long may he stay that way.

In short, yes

It is very difficult not to be like this with your baby (first?) but he is learning how to interact and how others interact, some will be more forceful than him some less. How his now may be 100% different to how he is when he starts secondary school. Your frineds child is not being a bully, he is being a child!

You are obsessing and helicopter parenting, relax a little and let him find his feet himself, be there to support him and give him a hug when he needs it but let him get back to it when he gets a knockback. Yes he will probably get less affectionate as he gets older but not because he cares less, because he is busy doing other wonderful things

I had a baby just like this, gentle and totally uncomprehending of roughness.

He is now growing up into a socially confident young lad (9 yesterday), who gets on well with other boys, still fairly gentle (except with his sister!) but not clueless in the face of rough play. His emotional wellbeing is fine.

I think he's had an easier ride because he is naturally gentle; some of his rougher friends (not to mention their mums!) have had upsetting times when they have got into trouble without really meaning to.

I would add that ds is still just as affectionate, but he has learnt 9-year-old ways of being affectionate. So instead of going up to people and hugging them, he talks to them about football.