DS soon to be 6 keeps saying "I'm rubbish at (whatever it is)" and gets angry when he does things wrong.

[TooMuchCaffeine]

For the last couple of weeks DS (5.11) seems to be having a crisis of confidence. So when he tries something that he used to do perfectly well like draw a picture of something he says "I'm rubbish at this I can't do it, and gets angry or upset". I watched him at a children's party yesterday and he was very shy and self conscious and would not join in and spent most of the time clinging to me quite the opposite of how he normally is.

Today I bought him a recorder because they are going to be starting it at Saturday music school next week and I was just showing him how to do it, and he was all whiney and defeatist about it - and unfortunately I got really cross with him in the end because of the way he has been for the past couple of weeks - yesterday being the last straw. Lately when you say something he doesn't like he storms off and slams the door!

I don't understand his sudden apparent lack of confidence and fear of every new situation. I started a thread on here a couple of days ago about him not having a best friend, but having seen him at the party yesterday, I can't see how he can make friends if he won't approach people. This is very unlike how he used to be and started just as he was about to return to school (new year, new teacher, jiggled up class so some children different, some the same).

[TooMuchCaffeine]

And yes before anyone says, I know that getting cross with him can't help his confidence issue - but placating him and reassuring him seems to fall on deaf ears and I had just had enough at that point.