My DD is 10. She's been waiting for assessment of ASD and/or ADHD for three years and one of the things she struggles most with is friendships. She forms intense attachments and experiences a lot of disappointment and what are basically power struggles. She hasn't been invited on many playdates and the few we've had here have not gone brilliantly.
This week we invited a newish friend over and it went so well. The little girl was great fun - feisty and cheeky but not rude (essential to have a bit of robustness in our household - lots of big personalities), ate everything she was given (a hosting mum's dream) and they played beautifully the whole evening with no issues.
I am so happy for her to have had this experience. We're going to invite her over again after half term. I know it sounds like such a silly little thing, to be so happy over a playdate, but it means the world to her and to me.
And I am finding life very hard at the moment, so little things like this need to be celebrated and held onto.