how would you deal with this?

[nutterbutsquash]

My ds is very small - 0.4 centile for height and 3.5. yesterday he came from pre school upset that one of his friends had said he was small. I said there is nothing wrong with being small, and that people come in all shapes and sizes but he said he just wants to be big.

I was expecting to have to help him with this, but not so soon.

Does anyone have any tips? I already try to use older instead of bigger eg when you are older rather than when you are bigger.

To say the best things come in small packages?

I was always the largest in height and particularly weight at school so had comments about that too. Alot.

I think if you can get him to reply with a standard positive response that may help him feel better and shrug it off.

And of course what you are saying is absolutely right, so keep with that message too.

I think that with any issues that trouble small children, the first step is to acknowledge how they are feeling, not try to deny that that feeling is valid. You probably do this already, but I mean something along the lines of "yes love, I know you want to be big. Imagine if you were as tall as a giraffe!" etc. ie trying to tell them that it's ok to want to be something they aren't (or may never be). Then carry on with the "small is ok too, think of xxx that is small and brilliant" etc etc.

Most kids have something that sets them apart in some way, and it's horrible for us as parents not to be able to provide a 'fix'. But its also character forming in a way, so not entirely a bad thing!

what about telling him small makes it easier to be a superhero.. let him be an imaginary superhero (I give my kids my old scarf/or wraps ties around them as 'capes')

There is a lovely story called But Martin about an alien who comes to earth and goes to school for a day - it points out all the differences in the pupils in his class - might help. They did have copies i The Works or try on Amazon. Lots of positive reinforcement like you are doing helps x good luck