Hello—my son is very chatty and socially (normally, it seems) very interactive with our family and friends and his three friends who are his age. When he meets new kids, though, he doesn’t really know what to do: he usually tries to engage them in silly ways, like reciting a line from a cartoon or playing peekaboo, or staring at them with a funny face. In his school, he plays by himself mostly, but “goes over” to the other kids, then returns to independent play. If kids try to join him, he usually yells at them, feeling they are trying to take his toys away, etc. He’s very bossy (which we’ve been working on) and likes everyone to do things his way, or else it’s tantrum city. Any thoughts on how I can help him with other kids? Is he going to grow out of this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. P.S. He hates to be separated from me and never likes going to school. He says he likes school, though, when I pick him up.
I taught three year olds for a time. They are very interesting little people. The three year old you just discussed sounds a whole lot like the ones that I have had the opportunity to work with. They HATED coming to class, but once they got there and settled, they were fine. It is just a maturity issue, in my opinion. You might try talking to some of the parents of the other 3 year olds and try to set up some playdates. The more interaction with peers the better for his interpersonal skills. Three year olds, by nature, though are very egotistical. They don’t have the ability yet to see issues from both sides. If his behavior doesn’t change within the next year or two, then you may have cause for concern, but as of now, he sounds normal to me!!! Good luck and best wishes.