My DS is 10 and recently diagnosed with ASD. He is high functioning and generally can do most stuff himself. Recently he’s been having some difficulties at school in terms of his little group of friends. Him and about 4 others are very close and have been for about 3 years, last year a new boy joined their group which caused a bit of anxiety for him but now they are good, another new boy joined at the start of the school year and my son took to him. Anyway the new boy mixes with all different kids in the class and a few weeks ago invited my son and one of his friends to the park, they called themselves a name. My son got bored quickly and so just went back to his normal ways. His friend however is still hanging around them as they apparently want him as apart of this new group but he keeps telling my DS and his friends that the other kids are forcing him too. This is totally not true they just want him in thier group to help them with YouTube views and so he goes nearly everyday to the park.
I’ve spent the last 3 days trying to explain to my DS that the other kids are not forcing him, that if he didn’t want to be part of thier group he wouldn’t be going to the park with them all The time. The problem is he keeps telling my DS and the others that he doesn’t want to etc. I’ve tried explaining that his friend is saying this so they don’t think he wants to be friends with other but he just can’t grasp this. I’m not sure I can explain it an easier way so he can understand. It’s stressing him out daily. Any ideas on how to approach this.