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Expert Q&A
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| By Chris Crutcher Author, Licensed Child and Family Therapist | ||
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Is it normal for a 7-year-old boy to not have any friends? My son doesn't receive invitations for play dates, nor does he want to invite anyone to play. His teacher says that he gets along with the other kids, but he prefers to be alone. I'm starting to get worried. Should I intervene?
It's really hard to say what "normal" is in a situation like this. I don't know how you can intervene unless you hear him say he's dissatisfied with the way things are. I'd pay close attention – but not push anything – and watch his emotional levels. If he's doing OK being alone, then he's probably fine. I would also stay in touch with the school or anyone else who knows him to see if there's some reason he doesn't get invitations. It's always better to look at these things in the long run and to pay more attention to the kid's emotional make-up rather than your own concerns about how things "should" be for him.
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