Bullying vs. Alpha Child

[PolkaTots]

I have a very strong willed and sassy 4yo DCG...she is very good at getting the other girls her age to do what she is doing, or excluding them if she isn't liking them that day, saying the other children aren't as pretty as her, and can be very rude and sassy. She is never physical, just verbally mean. And she is not afraid to talk back to me at all How exactly would you define bullying at this age vs. an alpha child?

[Willow]

She's bullying.

I don't believe in "alpha" children (or dogs for that matter). Confident or natural born leaders yes, but confident and good leaders don't need to put others down or coerce them to do as they want.

[countrymom]

She's bullying.

I don't believe in "alpha" children (or dogs for that matter). Confident or natural born leaders yes, but confident and good leaders don't need to put others down or coerce them to do as they want.

yup I agree. i would tell her that she is hurting their feelings and thats not nice what she is doing. If the problem persists then she would need to sit in a reflection corner, I don't do sassy.

[daycarediva]

Bullying. I have a take charge/alpha child. He is NOT mean, he is just a take the lead kinda person and gets the kids to go along with what he wants to play.

I had another DCG, 4 1/2 who was like you are describing. It took a MONTH of consistency but she ended up being very nice and having a LOT of friends here and did well in Kindergarten.

I find that kids this age are repeating what they hear and are most likely spoken to that way. Teach her the CORRECT way to treat people. "It is not nice to say that you are the prettiest. You are very pretty, and so are Amy and Katie too! You need to say sorry for hurting their feelings now."

I think that words can hurt way more than physical abuse.