Ds age 9 and friends to play

[popperdoodles]

Ds age 9 has a friend over to play today. He has never coped well with 'play dates ' hence we do it so infrequently. Out of the house and at school he is fine, has lots of friends but despite wanting them to come and looking forward to it all week it just never works. He likes his things just so and likes to do things in a certain way and gets stressed, cross and anxious when they don't do exactly what he wants them to do. He ends up being just horrible to them or they think it's funny and wind him up even more. These are friends who he gets on great with in every other context even at their houses I think. Should I just not have people round? It's just not fun

[HoggleHoggle]

I can see why you keep trying every now and again, especially if he keeps asking for it. I'd probably do the same myself, seems a bit mean to refuse friends over especially as they can change so quickly...unless his behaviour while they're there is pretty bad of course.

[popperdoodles]

They are outside now playing football and he seems alot more comfortable with that.

[popperdoodles]

Every now and then he will ask for it and every time I hope he will be ok. I worry I am not supporting his social development. All he gets out of it is remembering he doesn't actually like it that much and doesn't ask again for a month or so.

[Floggingmolly]

Why on earth would you keep having them round? What do you think he's getting out of it?