Rachel,

My son is only 20 months old and not yet talking, so I don't have any relevant experience to share, but I was wondering if you have asked your son what is making him upset. If he can share with you what is bothering him, it may be easier to deal with. For instance, if he said he's scared to be in a specific situation, you can then ask him why. And then maybe he'll elaborate as to what is really bothering him. I hope this helps. I wish you the best! :)

http://www.youngparentsmagazine.com

Thanks for your reply, I have tried asking but I get a lot of 'don't knows'or excuses that we know he has just made up. He is very confident at school and at home but in some situations it seems as though he is not confident at all. We have tried all sorts of things to try and overcome it but we are running out of ideas.

Hi Rachel

My son is 8 and he has always been very tearful about situations like that - i.e. starting at scouts/ swimming lessons/football. He does it particularly when he has volunteered to do something/or is about to do something he has been looking forward to and then suddenly has a change of heart or is suddenly worried about what he has to do.

It's just anxiety about something new I would say and crying is the way he can express himself.

There isn't really a resolution I don't think...best you can do is understand.

Are you worried about the fact he is crying?

my wee boy is just over 5 and he is a creature of habit,anything changes and it gets him all worked up and upset and he too cries at a drop of a hat. when he first started school he would hang onto me for dear life and cry - i am talking sob his little heart out cry when I go to leave. He would walk me to the gate then want me to walk him back to class again where the teacher would take him away, this teacher told me he was emotionally unstable!! I don't think he is - just some kids don't like being in different situations. He now no longer cries after I gave him a timy teddy of mine to have in his bag so a part of me was always with him at school and that worked for months now he leaves the teddy at home with me. Last week though he was so excited as he wanted to play touch rugby - he went along to every practise and loved it, last week was his first game - he ran onto the field started to play looked around and saw about 60 people standing there watching and he burst into tears and ran off the field never to go back on and play. I spose there is no helpful solution here but waiting it out. I think some kiddies need more reassurance than others and I don't think we go wrong as parents ( took me a long time to figure this out hehe) I just think people expect more out of our kids these days to be more socially acceptable. I have been told I cuddle him "too much" but again if they can't come to us for support and saftey where will they go and what will they turn out like. I don't think there is such a thing as cuddling them too much.
I know I haven't helped much - but I understand where you are coming from.
Hope everything works out for you.
Karen.

You're right Karen. I have been told young boys are more tearful than girls in fact. I am a believer in getting your feelings out in the open, so I haven't tried to stop him crying. That will come with maturity.

I live in the assumption that he won't still be crying when he's 20, but he will be a sensitive guy...and sometimes that can be a good thing.