Just logged on after a couple of years not using MN for some collective wisdom :).
DD (almost 10) is very sad recently, talks a lot about being lonely at school, she even latched onto something I was saying to a friend of mine about her school and asked if she could move schools. She is quite shy and is drawn to strong characters, who since 2nd half of last sch year often seem to do the dirty on her - after weeks of being best buddies, they will suddenly say they don't like her any more, and are nasty to her at school, ignore her, etc.
The girls in her class seem to have paired off and all 3 of the girls she was closest to until recently (since preschool) have paired off with others she never had much to do with. The pairs thing is exacerbated by them sitting in pairs at desks and sharing lockers in pairs.
She is v. bossy at home and I have suggested she consider how she behaves towards her friends because if she treats them like her sister (DD2) then they might not like it. Actually I suspect its a reaction to that treatment from them.
I have also suggested inviting people here more, not ruling out boys, and striking up contacts with people she might not have done before.
The problem is they have quite a lot of homework and she does loads of extra-curric stuff which she won't give up, so there is little time to invite people round. SHe does have friends outside school but it's school that's bothering her.
But I have drawn the line at buying her a puppy "to have something of my own to love, so that I wouldn't be so sad" - we have 2 dogs who never get played with and she has her own guinea pig, who she does like cuddling, as well as a baby sister (DD3) who she adores but who is fast growing up with a mind of her own and now screams if you try to coerce her into anything...
I am sad for her because I had this at school but until recently she always had friends and I thought she would avoid it.
Any advice?