Thanks so much for these posts, and it helps to see that other parents are struggling with similar issues. It seems as though I'm just going to have to bear with it, helping my son along in terms of understanding their behaviour, and what he can do about it.
Cricket3
- My son is reasonably aware of what's going on. He's told me about being excluded and how this other child bumps him on purpose, (as well as other kids). But I feel I need to be careful not to take too much interest, because he told me recently that this boy punched him. When I later said I was going to talk to the teacher about it, he then told me that it wasn't true. I don't want to make it into a 'big thing' if it really isn't to him just yet. But I'll be keeping an eye out and will definitely talk with the teacher if things get any worse.
As for considering Asperger's, well, my nephew has been diagnosed with it and I'm looking at the diagnostic criteria now but I don't really see it fitting him. He's well-developed socially in general; this is the only problem socially we've had with him. I think it's more about these boys being a lot of fun, and my son being quite a sensation-seeking child. He's not particularly shy or quiet himself.
He's been able to decide for himself before about not staying friends with a child who was mean to him, which worked fine because that child wasn't in his class. But this particular child is, and maybe that's the difference. Every day is a new day, and what happened the day before doesn't matter to my son because of the fun he hopes to have this day.
It seems that this is one of the hard lessons in life he has to start learning for himself. All I can do is be there for him when it goes wrong and help him see what he can do for himself.
