4.5 y/o trying to fit in!!

[Thefirstime]

My son is 4.5 yrs - very bright and funny - a real comedy character at home..

lately he has been literally coping what a couple of his nursery friends do/say/wear/eat.. it’s quite annoying and frustrating as I want him to be himself..

he will talk like them, accents/silly voices, want to dress like them, eat what they eat (even if he hates it!) etc.,

what is this all about? How can help him see that he can make his own choices and be valued in that..

thank you

Sounds like he's just trying things out, experimenting with trying to get under the skin of other people, what it feels like to do things differently. If he's enjoying himself I really wouldn't worry. I'm sure it's a phase, normal exploration and age-appropriate social development.

Sounds totally normal for his age

How can he make his own choices if you won't allow him to try things out?

Fwiw, I remember my son at nursery age saying both "thanks for buying me some jeans, mum!" and (in response to a pack of coloured vests) "I think my nursery friends will be very impressed with these!" He's now 23 and completely uninterested in fashion (though I must admit he did equip himself with a pointy umbrella and a greatcoat while In College )

Most kids do this at some point, some nursery age, some primary.
If you think about it you might know adults who copy what a friend wears, eats etc.. Don’t make a big thing of it and he’ll pass on to something else soon.

He won't eat food if he hates it. It's a good thing if he's trying different things.

This is so wholesome and really made me smile!