To be worried about 7 year old?

I know I risk being slated for this, but I would keep an eye out for other signs of autism. I'm autistic myself so feel I should be allowed to suggest this!

He might well not be autistic and simply be a neurotypical person who prefers his own company and quiet, familiar environments at the moment. That is obviously absolutely fine. Your post does, however, mention a few specifics that would fit the autism diagnosis criteria, or at least raise enough interest for assessment: finding social spaces too noisy and busy; not wanting to share play with others unless they follow his rules (this sounds critical but I don't mean it like that: trust me I understand feeling that way as autistic myself!); strong preference for own company; strong focus on his favourite media including re-enacting parts of them or scripts based on them.

Autism isn't about suffering and struggling: it's quite possible to be a very happy, perfectly functional autistic person. It sounds like your son is very happy in his world, living life the way he lives it. I would simply encourage you to keep it in mind, and if you think you spot any other signs or decide you want to, take him for assessment.

And, of course, he might not be autistic! It's reasonable to watch out for signs, though, given what you've said.

My son was EXACTLY like this. Now he’s 20 and extremely sociable. Kids are all different and we shouldn’t try to force them to change.

I don't know what your issue is it's pretty unusual for a child to prefer being completely alone to anything else. DS prefers it and was diagnosed at 10.

You need to let him be him OP, he loves to be alone and doesn't see it as the negative that you do. It took me quite a number of years to realise this.

Absolutely this.
And MANY years on, I still enjoy my own company which stands me in good stead on many an occasion

@Crazycatlady79 well many of us will come onto the thread as we have experienced similar things with our own children and those children happen to be diagnosed with autism. That's not to say OPs child is, but it is a possibility and something many of us share.

DD was like that, diagnosed autistic in her teens. Has spent most of the summer sat on a nearby green under a tree writing poetry this year. She does have friends and was sat there with them today but definitely found her tribe at secondary school although she's had the same best friend since she was 3. But she would happily go all summer as a younger child not seeing them.

It's key to find a group though with similar children to him, the library is a good shout with Lego club or our local art gallery does art workshops on a Saturday, local museum does a history hunters group, nature reserve does a young warden programme for teens and other activities for younger children, all attract the quieter more introverted child

RockWatch isthe national geology associations youth arm and they run weekend events around the country and family residential to the Jurassic coast in Dorset which attract the quieter child.

Not even one page in and someone's already suggested Autism.
As an Autistic adult with Autistic children, it really grips my shit the frequency with which someone suggests Autism just because a child is happy in their own company and/or introverted.
🤯🤯🤯

@Wowzapwoo That is SO sweet!
I’m going to PM you about an online chess club, if I may…

Side note here: would you really let a seven year old go for a sleepover?

My son is similar. He does have a few friends who really like him but he seems to have no interest in seeing them! I keep suggesting we invite them round but he just doesn't want it.
He has has no interest in any sort of clubs or activities. He just seems happy at home with the family and that's all he wants.
He's now 11 and about to start secondary school. I do worry he'll be a bit of a hermit as a teenager but he seems happy enough. I've given up trying to change him!

I was exactly like your DS at that age. I write novels as an adult, married with kids, but have no close friends. I feel lonely and defective for not having close friends, though as a kid I was perfectly happy in my own company.

I'm not sure there's anything my parents could have done to prevent this though, other than not moving to new towns so often. I'd encourage your DS to spend time with friends as well as doing what he likes. Maybe a creative club where he can share his interests?

7 is still so young. He just needs to find his kind of people!
Can you teach him chess? That might be an activity he would enjoy. Or can you find any nature themed activities?

Would he be interested in joining a drama club?

He sounds absolutely brilliant 🤩

DH is right.

Speaking as someone who was very like your little boy when I was a child, please don’t make him think there’s something wrong with him for being able to enjoy his own company.

Try and chill.
My 3 boys are all very different. Especially the older 2.
One is very social, loves his football with his pals etc, the other one is very independent, and would rather be doing bug hunts, watching animal planet, playing with his toys - he's very imaginative, drawing. If he's happy then go with it and let him be 😊 x

My thought is that he might be Autistic

Doesn't sound like it's a problem at the moment or indeed might not be in the future

Very few people have the same friends in adulthood as they do at 7 he has plenty of time to change if he chooses too.

i really don’t think how many play dates you have at 7 has any bearing to your social circle are 25.

If he's happy then it's not a problem. He's only 7, he may change a bit as he gets older anyway. Or he may not and there's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone is social.