My buddy is the friendliest little guy around. Almost to a fault. He is never more happy than when surrounded by a gaggle of kids. My buddy, if he had his way, would touch each kid on the head, face, or belly while dolling out hugs to any takers. Of course he would alternate a gentle touch with a love pat. And by love pat, I mean a smack to the face or a push hard enough to knock someone down.
I love my buddy's love for others and really don't want to change that about him. I love that he is forgiving and holds no grudges. But he can't walk around slugging other kids and knocking them down. If you prompt my buddy to be "nice" or "gentle" he will listen... at least until the urge to hit is too strong. I don't think he does it to hurt. My buddy is genuinely surprised when a baby cries after meeting his left hook.
I'm not sure how to approach this behavior. Part of me just wants to let his teachers deal with it when he goes to preschool, but I'm pretty sure that isn't the right answer. I don't want to adopt a "keep your hands to yourself" rule. I think at the age of 2 he should be able to touch his friends. I guess I will just have to keep repeating my mantra of "be nice - no hitting" and hope that at some point it sinks in. I do know that there are far worse things than an overly friendly little boy.
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