My DS7 was getting upset when his twin brother was playing with a same-aged boy on our block and was not joining them. We talked about it one day at bedtime and he said he was just 'never ready' and things like that. He always wanted to play with just the two of them and wasn't doing well getting used to a third being added to the mix. He was never excluded, but wouldn't join in and was feeling left-out. We talked until he was more comfortable that he wasn't being left-out and could go join in whenever he was ready. I didn't ask his brother to change anything about playing with his friend. DS is not exactly shy, except at first, but is slow to accept changes. I am similar and refer to it as an 'inertia' issue, but I digress.

Two days later, the boys were eating lunch and his brother was planning to go and play with the other boy right after. Before going he stopped, turned around, and asked asked DS if he was ready to play, then offered to wait a few minutes if it would help. To my utter amazement, DS asked for 5 minutes, which his brother agreed to, and then all three friends had a full afternoon full of full-participation play!

This may be a bit of a subtle 'brag'. I am so very proud that they both compromised and completely solved the difficulty in a way I hadn't suggested.