son pinching other kids cheeks

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Does anyone have any experience of their child pinching and grabbing at other kids cheeks? My son is very nearly 3 and he has developed this habit recently. It is very embarrasing when he makes other kids cry and has drawn blood on occassion! I always take him to one side and tell him that it is totally unacceptable but I cant seem to get through to him that he cant do it. He is due to start nursery soon and I dont know how to curb this behaviour before he starts there. Any ideas?

ds rubs other children's cheeks, he thinks he's stroking but he does it too hard and they find it intimidating. He's been doing it for nearly 2 years since dd was born and I taught him to stroke her cheek rather than bash her on the head! Pre-school say "kind hands" every time they see him lift his hands towards cheeks and we just say "no cheeks" really loud if we spot it. Does he do it if they come too close to him and invade his space? (that's one of ds' big things)

he actually goes up to kids to do it so no its not to do with another child invading his space. I actually think he thinks he is being affectionate and he does it when he gets a bit over excited.