My DD is 6 and in yr 1. She has been best friends with "X" since X started at their school in reception (DD was already there before in nursery class and the feeder playgroup before that) and going into yr 1 this has turned into a very exclusive sort of friendship. X is a lovely albeit very shy little girl, bright and well behaved which all sounds perfect.
Except my DD who used to have a range of friends and was going on playdates without me with her closest friends when she 3 and in nursery now says she is "too shy" to go to anyone's house (except X's) without me, DD who happily settled at playgroup at 2 1/2 cried and didn't want to go into school all week when X was off sick and insisted on waiting for X outside school in the morning for ages afterwards to make sure she was going to be there. Won't stay at parties on her own anymore (unless X is there). Nagged me for ages to go to ballet classes and then refused to go when I arranged a date because X wouldn't be there, etc.
Basically behaving like a very shy dependent little girl which she didn't used to be but that is how X genuinely is, iykwim.
At parents evening their teacher commented she was concerned by their friendship and said she sometimes found it hard to assess their work as they always worked together.
Anyway I have tried to encourage other friendships by inviting other girls round and DD always gets on fine with them, but then won't go back to their houses which is embarrassing and difficult to explain. X's mother and me (we have become good friends ourselves) have spoken about it and agreed it would be good for them both to be part of a wider circle of friends but I don't think she is as concerned as me because apparently X has always been very timid whereas I see my DD going backwards in terms of confidence and doing stuff.
Is there anything else I can do or is this something that will just have to run its course?