Back to school blues

Sometimes it's hard as a parent to watch other peoples children sail back into school without a care in the world when one of your own really doesnt want to go back. I dont mean the usual "Mum do I HAVE to go back to school complaining" My eldest (12) has that down to a tee but I know in reality she is quite excited to be back with her friends and secretly quite enjoys learning.

My youngest (10), now thats a different kettle of fish - He has had a few difficult years at school where he is one of very few boys his age, he's not really fitted into the typical mould for the boys and is instead much more a sensitive soul and has found himself on the outside of the group, excluded from social situations and on some occasions deliberately hurt or humiliated. "Why does no-one like me?" I hear on a regular basis "What's wrong with me" - "My son, there is nothing wrong with you, your kind, gentle and thoughtful and I love you dearly" I tell him but clearly its not enough.

The further into each school term, school year we journey the more he retreats into himself and I watch his self esteem plummet to the ground. I don't drive so we have no other option than to keep him at the school he is at - which to be fair are trying now to support him through this.

This summer has seen him blossom and grow, his smile has returned, he has explored, camped out,read, joined a new football team - making loads of friends in the process and generally had a whale of a time. However about a week ago it dawned on him he was going back to school and I felt that unease in him start to rise, I reassured him "your the oldest year group in the school" and "just be yourself and keep talking to us and the teachers." He has hardly slept all week, getting more and more wound up until yesterday when he had to go back.

I wish I had a happy end to this story, that he came home and everything was great but real life just isn't like that is it? He endured it, he learned in his lessons but he was passed over for house captain and vice captain by the other children re-enforcing his belief that there is something wrong with him. I wish I could take the hurt away, make everything right but I can't. All I can do is look to the adventure with him of secondary school next year where there will be more boys to be friends with and surely another sensitive soul like him too!