Hi all,
not sure what I am looking for here, but wondering if this is normal.
My son has a friend whose behaviour is quite challenging in comparison to the other boys my son plays with.
I find it difficult to articulate where the problem lies, but I think it has something to do with his lack of understanding of appropriate in his behaviour when dealing with adults. He uses the same names for adults as he does for his friends, such as stinky bum or farty breath. It's quite grating and even after having this explained and possible alternatives suggested, he continues unabated.
He ignores adults when asked a question such as, 'would you like a drink of milk'. I know this is quite common at 6, but this extends beyond anything I have seen in other boys his age.
He is quite physical and has shown me his genitals on a number of occasions. He has also grabbed and smacked my bottom, even after I have explained that I do not like this and it isn't something adults think is OK.
He makes statements like 'my daddy has more money than you' or 'my mummy is clever and you aren't'.
Quite often when I speak to him he tells me to 'be quiet'.
My own son looks quite shocked at this friend's behaviour and has told me he would never say the things this friend does and that he knows these are things which adults would find annoying.
When they play together the friend is very high maintenance, demanding to win constantly until my son agrees, to keep the peace.
His parents are both very considerate, kind and gentle people who have told me separately that they think their son may have Aspergers or something similar.
I think if I knew there were something underlying his difficult behaviour it would make it easier to handle, but I find him quite hard to be around, just not sure how to respond to his behaviour.
Phew, and breathe.