Tell me to pull myself together!

[Littlemisssunshine72]

Don't know why I'm letting this get to me- but lately I've noticed more so than before how my DS (ASD 8) tries to play with groups of children, think they're his best mates and they make fun of him or are mean.

He does have real friends so its not as if he doesn't have friends of his own but he's a very sociable little chap (which I'm really proud about as about 2 years ago he wouldn't have played with anyone) so approaches other children to play. It's not inappropriate either as one group was at a campsite and another was a group that included his cousins who are 6 and 9.
Generally he gets on really well with his cousins (especially the younger one) but today we went to a park where his cousins were with another group of friends. So DS said hi (to his cousins)- who ignored him. He tried to play with the group who then went off. He found them and one boy (not a cousin) was particularly mean to him. Cousins were just ignoring DS. I was quite sad that neither cousin stood up for DS and said 'come over' or whatever. It's hard enough when it's a group of new children but when his own cousins ignored him and quite frankly seemed embarrassed by him, it hurt even more.

When DS was younger, the differences didn't seem so apparent but the older he gets and the gap widens, I'm finding it more difficult dealing with other children's reactions, especially when I know how far DS has come since he was diagnosed 5 years ago.

I know children can be funny when they are with other friends, etc but it just seems to be happening on a regular occurrence at mo.
oh well, I'll get a grip in a bit- think its that time of month!!

[Mollyweasley]

Is your DS upset by it, or does he not notice? It doesn't make the behaviours of the others right but at least if he is not hurt and stays happy then that might help you cope with it. Hope you are better today