Other kids picking on my kid

by Concerned parent
(Princeton NJ)

I have a 3 and a half year old who we have raised well in my opinion. We tell him not to hit other kids, and when other kids hit him, to tell them to stop. He is very well-behaved and is a joy for us as parents.

However, when he is around other kids, he becomes the focus of their attention. The other kids hit him and tease him, because he cries very quickly and does not fight back. He is often now playing by himself when the other kids are playing together. We don't want him to grow to be the one that always gets bullied. But we don't want to tell him that is ok to hit other kids - we don't want him to be a bully. The parents of the other kids punish their kids when they hit our son, but the pattern continues.

Any thoughts? We like the other parents, and they are trying to discipline their kids - it just doesn't work.

Concerned parent