Remember when I used to be so worried about Big H because he didn't know how to play with his friends during their break time?
He used to walk around by himself, not feeling sorry for himself or anything like that - according to his teachers, his friends would always call to him to play with them but he always refused. It was either he didn't know how to join in or he simply preferred to play on his own. His Year 1 /Year 2 teacher was a little concerned as well because she said that playing with friends is part of learning and growing for children and he was missing out on that...
I remember I used to drive over to his school and sit in the car to spy on him during his playtime - but I always ended up feeling sad and sorry for my little boy - up to the point that I felt that there was no one I could turn to for help but for the Almighty! And so that's what I did! Doa, doa and doa that he'll be better at making friends and playing with them! I know the issue may sound a little petty or trivial to many but it breaks my heart to see him playing by himself when his friends are laughing and playing together. I really wanted him to improve his socializing skills...
But guess what? Big H has slowly, since the middle of last year started playing with his friends! He even has a 'best-friend' now! Admittedly, for a while it was only this friend *R* who considered Big H to be his best friend when Big H didn't want to have anything to do with him at all. In fact, Big H had complained to me in his very innocent way, " I don't know why *R* likes to follow me around!" To which I had answered, "Maybe it's because he likes you and wants to be your friend?" But I didn't need to persuade him too much because they soon became good friends and frankly, I was very, very relieved!
Now, Big H has other friends too - they all play together during play-time. At first it was simply some "made-up" games which when I was a kid was the best kind of games I ever played. But then slowly, Big H and *R* was called by other friends to play football.
In the beginning Big H told me that *R* didn't like to play football (when Big H did) and *R* had walked away when Big H wanted to join the others in the game. But slowly, slowly, *R* also started playing football during playtime and even slide-tackled Big H one day and made him fall and graze his face! Oh dear!
I was a little bit concerned because Big H hardly comes home with any sort of playtime injuries - obviously for the reason that he has not been playing a lot, but to be honest, they really made me very happy!
It was because the injuries were proof to me that he has been playing with friends at school and he was finally able to assimilate himself with the other children! *Phew!*
Oh Big H, I'm so sorry about the scars that you have on your face now but I am also happy and glad that you have now finally 'grown' a bit and able to play with the other children and make friends....Mama is so proud of you!
