Could MY baby angel possibly be a bully?

So I got the dreaded phone call from the daycare today.

Turns out Carl’s been hitting his “friends”, not just a little, not just once or twice, and not just with his hands, but occasionally with toys. So I asked, hoping for the best, “Is it just when he’s frustrated or about a toy or something?” She was kind, but direct, “No, sometimes he just hits them when he wants them to go away.”

WHAT! Could he have inherited my horrible temper? Too much TV? Too much daycare? And we can’t even blame it on the baby yet!!!

Worst one was today I gather from her description and the timing of her call. Seems hard toy + friend’s head = big trouble for him, and for us. She held his arm back just as he fired up to give this poor kid another whack.

So any advice or reassurance is very welcome.
Gus and I will certainly be needing it!

– Valerie