I am worried about my just turned 7 year old DS. He has always been quite sensitive and recently seems quite anxious. To put it into context, he has had a lot of change over the past year - the Covid stuff, a new brother and his cat died, which was his first experience of death.
He is doing really well in school. Top set of everything, loads of friends. The teacher said he is an anxious child. And he is but recently he has been saying things that concern me and I don't know what to do.
He won't take a compliment, if you say something nice about him he will say he is rubbish or bad. When I've asked why he thinks that he says it's cos he's bad at writing (his handwriting isn't great but it's improved enormously). I say that we can't be good at everything and as long as he tries it's fine, and there's lots of stuff hes great at.
Recently he's been saying he hates himself. I wonder if it's to get a reaction, cos it does. But it deserves a reaction- if he needs extra attention right now it's fine but I'm not sure what to give. Getting into a conversation about it doesn't seem to help him, he just repeats it. He's also been very preoccupied with death (understandably).
This aside, he's pretty sparky and happy. He's got no behaviour issues at all. I find what he's saying so sad and upsetting and I don't know how to help him, or whether I should be worrying and seeking further support.
Does anyone have experience of this?