My beautiful 8 y.o DD has always been a fairly calm, sensible sort of child, with loads of enthusiasm for new things, and plenty of confidence about doing them. She's a really good dancer, having danced for 5 years now, and has done exams, shows and so on, without any nerves. Starting school was a breeze for her, and she's always done well academically. Socially, she has always been invited to plenty of other girls' parties, and her school reports have always said she's popular and well-liked.
Recently, but especially since she's gone back to school in Yr3, her confidence seems to have taken a real nose dive. She's often weepy and a lot more clingy to me, needing cuddles much more often. They've been offered a few new extra curricular things now they're in the juniors and she's flatly refused to join any of them (which is not a problem in itself, it's just so unlike her because she's normally so keen to try everything). I've had quite a few incidents where she's been crying and saying that she wishes there were more girls like her at school, that she wishes she had someone to play with at home (she has two younger brothers). This evening she came home from school and cried and said she didn't want to go to dancing (this is unheard of, this is the child who wanted to go when she had swine flu!)... when I dug a bit deeper it turned out she's feeling a bit intimidated by some of the older / pushier girls in her dance class. She was also crying and saying she never gets picked for anything in school and she feels as though she's boring and 'not funny'.
It's so sad to see her confidence crumbling and I really don't know how to help her. Obviously I try to tell her all her very good points, and remind her of her achievements, and where I can, I try to do nice things just she & I. But I'm so worried, especially seeing as she isn't sleeping well (just been up to her now, with her in tears about everything).
Any thoughts?