DS is just four. He has been at preschool since January and finally settled in quite well, he does seem to be relating well to other children mainly, and will play nicely most of the time given the opportunity.
However he is an only child (expecting DS2 next week) and now he has discovered the joys of playing with others, he seems totally desperate for it.
Last week on his birthday, he met some older children who live up the road. They are from a German family and very, very sensible, well adjusted, kind to him etc. despite being 11, 9 and 7.
(He used to follow older kids round at the swings, and they would often mock him, which broke my heart ) but these are nice to him which is lovely.
They played with him for an hour or two and had to go home. The next day he was crying for them, it was terrible, I had to explain that they were busy and had other friends they needed to see. He doesn't understand.
He has been talking about them all week and today we saw them again, they came to play, he went to their house on his own (first time he's ever done that) and had a brilliant time - I'm not sure how much they get out of it but he's in awe of them.
Afterwards he could barely say goodbye, and has cried ever since, on and off - he's such a sociable little kid and always talks to strangers - anyone who will listen.
I try to play with him and talk to him, but it isn't the same and now I'm really concerned that he's dreadfully lonely - he will even stand at our gate and try to ask passing children to play with him, even though he doesn't know them, which worries me a lot (it's only a few feet from the door so I can hear him and go and intervene)
Poor little thing just seems desperate for more friends, but we do have some and he doesn't seem to get on with those his own age so well, or be so interested in playing/visiting them.
He'll be at school from September but will this be enough, and what to do before that? I feel like he's hungry and I can't satisfy him. It's so sad.