I have a happy, kind DS who is 3, nearly 4. He's a lovely kid, but has always been quite sensitive. From very small, he would get hugely upset if he felt he'd made a mistake or had an accident.
As an example, we were at the park today with friends and he was running around and bumped into a little girl. Not a big deal, no one was hurt. He instantly apologized - but was then completely inconsolable. He cried and cried, said he never wanted to go out again, and only wanted to stay at home. It took a good 10 minutes to calm him down. He was cold and clammy - the way you are if you've had a genuine shock. I was repeating like a mantra: 'its fine - it was an accident. You've apologized, now we move on. No one is hurt. Everyone has accidents,' but he was so upset. He told me afterwards: 'I had a very bad feeling mummy.'
How can I help him with his anxiety around mistakes and accidents? I've tried 'jollying' him along - but he is genuinely distraught and it just doesn't work. I know I need to strike a balance between calming him, and not making it into an even bigger event (if that makes sense) but just at a bit of a loss. All advice really appreciated. Thank you.