My almost 7 year old is being really controlling with his friends. He has been split up in this new school year from his two core best friends and has been really low, I invited one of them over as he said the other one says he can’t play with them at break times and feels left out.
Anyway I have observed him tonight and bless the other boy, he has been so good but my son has gotten very upset when his friend wants to do something different. He isn’t overly bothered about playing football and recently this friend has got into it, I suspect my son doesn’t do it because on occasion he has said he is rubbish or no good at it but almost all the boys in school do like it and are joining teams to do it. He has a tendency to decide he won’t be good at it so he won’t even try and again I think this links to him trying to control the outcome.
I just wondered if anyone had some advice on how I can get him to let go and be less conscious of himself? I am really all about giving everything a go and try to model trying new things and not being worried about failing it but I just don’t know where it is coming from as both me and my husband have always been determined that we wouldn’t put any pressure on our kids and our focus would be them feeling happy but also aren’t overly bothered about what people think of us. I really just want him to feel better about himself and open himself up to trying new things and not feel like he is going to fail before he has started. We give him lots of praise etc.