Mis(ter)behavin'

It appears that the boy is a bully.

You may recall from a few posts down that the boy started a new preschool on March 20, a mere week and a half ago. They send home reports almost daily, and the only mention of misbehavior is that of not listening very well. Not so yesterday. The teacher wanted to talk to mom. Uh oh. That can't be good.

There was a parent complaint of my angel baby spitting in a child's face. I have no idea where this came from. We are not spitters. And, there is some hitting and kicking of sand in the faces of other children. Never the children younger than him - just those the same age or older.

Now, at the old school there were no boys his age. Only girls, and two of them at that. You know how it is with two girls - not much room for a third wheel there. There were older boys, and I must admit watching with a look of horror on my face at the way they played together and treated each other. There were also younger children of both genders, and I think he spent a fair amount of time with this group. There were minor incidents, but not of the spitting and bullying nature. The previous daycare teacher was newly pregnant, and had no additional hired help, and I think the kids spent a fair amount of time without much structure, hence the not listening.

The boy will be 4 in April and is an only child. Could this behavior be age related? Do you think it is learned behavior from the boys at the old school? Do you think it is transitional -> old school to new school and he is jockeying for a position amongst the children?

Should we perform an exorcism?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Anyone????????