Is this bullying or just normal child-like behavior? Should I make a fuss?

[Orinoco]

My dd1 is in reception. In the autumn term she complained about a girl in year 1 (they're in the same class, mixed age classes) who was picking on her. Nothing major, just sitting behind at carpet time and poking her, taking her pencil off her etc. I mentioned it to the teacher who said she would keep an eye on the situation.

Last term, this child was still bothering her, but it seemed to be more trying to get dd1's friendship - eg when dd1 was the "super rocket", she says this girl wouldn't stop kissing her.

But today she's come home and said the girl kept poking her with a pencil. At bathtime I noticed a mark on her neck, and she told me that this girl had put a skipping rope around her neck and pulled it. (I asked where the teacher was and she said she was busy).

So, at the moment I'm seething... but I'm not overreacting am I?

my dd is only 2.9 so not having to deal with that kind of thing yet, but the skipping rope thing provoked a reaction in me. It can't be pleasant for your dd to get poked with a pencil etc etc, but i would imagine it's pretty normal kiddy behaviour? but the skipping rope would bother me - and it must have been quite hard if it left a mark there?

If it were my child I would ask for a meeting with the teacher and ask her:

a) What are her observations about the relationship between your daughter and this child

b) How does she generally handle bullying/rough behaviour/friction between children, especially of different ages

c)Could she please note your concerns, keep an eye on the interaction between tham and keep you informed (do you have a home-school diary or anything?)

My children are younger than yours, but I've already encountered some pretty alarming behaviour at ds1's nursery school where the children are between 3 and 4.

I'd be seething. My DD is in primary 1 and I'd march right up to school if some kid was doing this to mine. And it wouldn't stop at the teacher, I'd want to speak to the parents too. Nip it in the bud comes to mind. Good luck.

I have worries about ds too. There is one boy who seems to have taken against ds most of the time. He told some of his friends that Ethan couldn't be 'pals' woth them because he was playing with my ds. (We were waiting to go in to school). I said, 'X, you can all be friends can't you?'

I know where you are coming from, because I worry that I am over-protective. However, I so try to make ds stand up for himself (verbally) if people are nasty. Ds is very sensitive too.

The skipping rope thing could have been playful and got out of hand. However, personally I would raise a stink with the teacher, because it really shouldn't be happening. I don't think you are worrying too much.