Unplugged- about children and friends

I was recently thinking about my boys and how hurtful and mean other kids can be to each other. I see it between my own boys sometimes and I make a point to address it quickly and try to teach through what should have been said or what could have been done in the situation. But what do you do when you see another child being unfriendly or mean to your own child? If I know the child well enough I have said something to them about the behavior. It is a hard thing to watch your child struggle with other children. I know as my children get older they are in situations where I am not always right there and it hurts when your child gets into the car and tries his best not to cry telling you about something another child did or said to him. I think as parents it is our duty to "watch" our children playing with other children, they are still sinful little creatures and if a parent is not there to take the opportunity to train their child then the only time something comes to their attention is if another child tells or gets hurt either way not a good option. I have tried, not always, but most of the time to keep an eye on my children while they are playing with other children and if needed call them out immediately to correct them in something that I saw. Mostly though it is a way that I can see how they play with others and where I can continue to train them to respect their friends in words and deeds. I want my boys to grow up and be able to be a friend that can be counted on, respected and be a friend to the friendless. The training has to come from mom and dad though, so I know for me it means that I might now be able to have a conversation with my friends because I am having to watch my children playing but I think that it is a sacrifice that I am willing to make at this time in their lives where you can teach them how to interact and that it is a heart issue. I want to take the opportunities when they come up and not just to discipline them for their behavior, but to really talk to them about where their heart is and that they need Jesus in their lives. They are not able to "correct" their own behavior it has to come from the Lord. I do believe that it is an area that is not thought out well enough by parents we think of training them to share with their friends, but have we honestly looked at how they share with their friends? Was it with the right heart? What about speaking to their friends? Including and excluding others and what that means, my boys learned early what those words meant. I am not posting this to say that I have it all together, but just the opposite I am making changes to be mindful in this area because I have seen the effects it can have on children. I remember being the one on the receiving end and also the one doing the teasing when I was a child. I know some people say "well kids will be kids and that is just a part of growing up". True, but I also say that it doesn't make it any less hurtful for the child. Now when I signed up for this parenting thing I didn't really know what all it was going to include. Training them in this area I feel is a big part that you don't think about until you see it first hand. You know the Mama Bear starts coming out when you see your child on the receiving end of this. You gave birth to that child you nurtured that child and what gives this other kid the right to come in and do or say something hurtful. Makes you want to take them up and give them a spanking they will never forget, but that too is my sinful nature. So I use self control and pray through it as to how I can still show the love of Jesus to my child who is hurt and the other child who needs to not hurt.