My 6 year old daughter looks for toxic friendships

[momof2luv]

I have a 6 year old daughter. My daughter had been in preschool since she was 18 months old and is now in Kindergarten. When my daughter was 2 she befriended a boy in her class and it was a toxic friendship, he was very mean to her, he hit her and he bossed her around, Yes at 2. She continued to attach herself to him no matter what he did to her and she followed him everywhere. This behavior went on for a full school year. The next school year the boy did not come back to the school but my daughter found another little girl to become friends with and it all started all over again. She started to follow the little girl around, wait for her to do anything, copy everything she did, colored, said etc... this went on for 3 years until my daughter started Kindergarten. BUT, things got even more nuts when she met a little girl in her class that is also on her cheerleading team. This was the worst of the toxic friendships as far as I am concerned. They love to hate each other but at the same time my daughter copies everything the little girl does, the same crayon colors, the same clothes, lunches, you name it she wants to be right there next to her doing exactly the same thing and it is 100% completely out of control. The thing that I don't understand is that my daughter at home is different, she is a leader, she thinks for herself, she is smart, she loves her 12 year old brother she even bosses him around and is in charge, she stands up for herself to my husband (her father) and she is independent. What is going on and why is this such a huge issue. When we tell her she can't be with this little girl, she goes as far as seeking her out at birthday parties, and getting into trouble in class. Last Friday, a note came home because the little girl "stole" a sticker out of a box in class and my daughter did the same thing just to be like her and got into big trouble. HELP... what is going on and what can I do. She doesn't listen and defies us no matter how many times we tell her not to be near this girl. This is a terrible pattern and I need help breaking it.

[margypops]

It could be that she has missed being with you ,going to pr school at such an early age, she has transferred some of the feelings to another child, would it be possible for you to be around more change your schedule . Is it a big problem why do you see it as a toxic relationship?