Trouble with Sydney

I've written many times about Sydney, who is best described as Rachel's "frenemy." They get along, they don't get along; they fight, make up, etc. -- all the stuff I thought would wait until junior high, and now apparently is happening at the grade-school level. Sigh.

I was away last weekend, and when I returned Drew had some extremely disturbing news -- Sydney stole some possessions of Rachel's -- an American Girl doll headband and something else that I can't remember right now. Luckily Rachel told Drew and Nicole, Sydney's mom, about it. Nicole grounded Sydney and made her give the stuff back. I was so angry and upset that I told Drew that "I don't want that child in my house anymore." He agreed.

Then, earlier this week, Drew picked up Rachel at extended day to find her upset and crying. She threw herself into his arms and said that Sydney had thrown something at her eye -- it turned out to be a Connect 4 chip -- and the extended day folks gave Rachel some ice. They also gave Sydney a talking-to; and Nicole, when she arrived, did so as well. "I don't know what's going on with her," she said worriedly. Drew and I decided NO MORE WEEKDAY PLAYDATES with those two (Rachel ended up forgetting to do her homework on the day of one playdate, and she had to do it afterward), so hopefully that will end the constant contact between the two (Sydney is another first-grade class).

Drew also took Sydney aside, out of earshot of Nicole and Rachel, and told her sternly, "If you EVER throw anything at my daughter again, there will be HELL to pay."

He said she just kind of looked at him and said, "uuhh."

Yesterday was a snow day (more on that later), and when Rachel and I were cuddling in her bed I asked her to tell me about Sydney. She said she's mean to her.

"You know that Daddy and I won't let anyone hurt you," I said.
"Mom, you can't just run to extended day every time Sydney pinches me," she replied.
"So, I guess you're telling me that you can handle what's going on," I said.
"Yeah, Mom!" she said. "I'm almost a teenager!"