Kids wrestling – not quite sure when to intervene?

[Epacris]

DS (4yo) and DD (2yo) like to wrestle with each other and sometimes they get quite rough and hit and kick each other. It’s really hard to know how bad/hard it is because they laugh so much and obviously enjoy it. But then of course one will start crying and whinging, and then the other will too, and then just as I try to split them up they’ll both go back to laughing again. I really love seeing them play together in such a physical way but I hate seeing them hit and kick each other. I try to tell them not to do it, but it’s really hard to enforce when it’s obviously part of a game they are enjoying and neither of them are actually hurt. But I don’t want to encourage hitting/kicking in any way, I don’t want them to think that’s how we treat each other and I especially don’t want them to hit/kick other children. But they don’t seem to hit/kick other children, I mean there’s an occasional incident but nothing serious.

Any advice? Or am I just completely over thinking this?

[mrsmac]

Riley's OT said rough play is good for their development and she encourages it but more with Daddy so it can be stopped before it gets out of hand. I think if they are usually OK with it leave it- they need to realise their boundaries and when its no longer fun IYKWIM?

[Epacris]

Hmmm, thanks mrsmac, that’s a really good point, physical boundaries, what feels good and when enough is enough. Yes, I can see that.

[Phteven]

I leave them to it until there are tears. On the whole I think that they need to work out their own boundries but sometimes I do offer a bit of guidance. If I'm trying to concentrate I usually ask them to move it to a different room or outside lol.