Sunday, November 18, 2007

Popularity


This is a photograph of a rather lovely wolf. It has nothing to do with the topic of this post at all.
Eldest Hobbit was at a classmate's birthday party this afternoon. He was at her birthday party last year too so this is a continuing friendship. A really nice girl too, the kind he can bring home to meet me in another 15 years or so and I'll be happy for him. He tells me, on the way there, that she likes magic and High School Musical. Though possibly not at the same time.
It was one of my biggest fears when the Hobbits began their school life: would they be popular? Oh, I wasn't wanted the type of children where they were the be all and end all and arrogant with it; I just wanted them to have friends and be happy. I was always the outsider at school (yeah, I know here is the worlds smallest violin, playing just for me. Poor old me.) I had friends but none of them close and I never kept in touch with anyone nor had anyone who kept in touch with me for that matter, I regret that now. The social exclusion of the only child. I didn't want it for my boys. Lucky I had them two at a time then.
Youngest Hobbit I worry about more, while eldest Hobbit seems to have found his niche - to be pampered by the girls in his class and well liked by the boys - youngest Hobbit is more like me. Content in his own company. Then I hear him talk of playing with the other children, such as The Kissy Girl, it should ease my concerns but I know he has no one he is particularly close to. I am probably reading too much into this, they are only just coming up to 6 years old.
I just don't want them ever to turn out like me.

3 comments:

Pewari Naan said...

Oh I can so empathise with you on this. I was an only child with very little friends growing up, too. Was constantly picked on in secondary school (I was okay in primary, but then my parents moved away when I was 10 and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we do NOT move away from my sons' peer groups while they're at school - it makes such a difference to confidence).

My eldest boy is like me, and I was so horribly worried - but he seems to have got into a great threesome of friends (yes, I *know* - 3, the worst number! But paradoxically they get on really well without anyone getting left out) and seems to have some nice "play with you occasionally" friends too.

Youngest boy is just a charmer and is going to be a social whirlwind (so I'll have a whole NEW set of worries to have, lol) so I don't think we'll have the same issues.

So, I'll find something new to worry about next week.

TwoIfBySea said...

I have seen some children try and be friends with youngest Hobbit only for him to near enough ignore them. He is very much his own boy which is good in one way but bad in another. I know how important friends can be later on in life but trying to get that through to someone so young without lecturing is difficult.

Pewari Naan said...

I suppose it depends on his personality. Friends are important, yes, but he may be fairly self-sufficient.

I know I am. I get by on a couple of closish aquaintances who I can ask for favours at a push and a few internet friends who I can pour my heart out to if needs be.

If he needs them, he'll find them. As long as he has the confidence to.