Can you please let me know about you experiences with your 4 year old boys. I am becoming aware that he is much more sensitive than his peers. And i'd like to intervene if it's possible.

DS can hardly watch TV. He puts his hands over his ears and/or eyes and goes "na na na na" whenever he think something bad is going to happen, or especially if someone is going to get 'in trouble' or told off. This is Thomas the Tank engine, Octonauts or whatever. I think it's age appropriate. He will often run off into his room and hide, until he thinks the bad thing is over.

DS told me that he wishes he could wear a blue t-shirt to kinder. He'd even like to wear a pink one. This is because although the uniform is not compulsory, the majority of the boys wear a blue t-shirt and ALL the girls wear the pink ones. DS got to pick his t-shirts before the kinder year started and he chose one green and one red. He has formed an opinion that he does not fit in because his t-shirt is different, and he doesn't want to be different. I spoke to his kinder teacher (who i think is wonderful) and she said she has never heard another child that age notice something like that - and then become upset by it. She said this is a indication more of this intelligence than anything, but i am worried that he feels left out simply by what he is wearing. He's too young for that kind of anxiety.

Sometimes in music he will lose himself completely and sing and dance away, but often when his name gets mentioned (your turn to come up with an action, or cross the circle to sit with the teacher and play) he will grab my leg, hide and say 'no thank you'. Because he is polite, he gets away with it, but i want to push him.

At kinder on wednesday all the kids had a small brown paper bag and they had all brought something 'red'. We were sick on monday, so he had no clue about what was going on and his little face looked puzzled and lost. The teacher had a bag for him with a red feather in it (which was very thoughtful of her) but I could see distress on his face. When it got to his turn to show the class what was in his bag he just looked at me and at the teacher and she kept saying what's in your bag - but he didn't know, and he knew damn well he hadn't put anything in the bag and was upset to be put on the spot, so to speak. I left soon after and the teacher told me that for the first time since the beginning of the year he was sad and cried a couple of times. She said she thought it was because when they said put your jacket on and go outside he went to his locker and his jacket wasn't there ('cos it was still in my car - the first time ever i forgot!). He knew we'd brought it and he got upset. But i think it started before the jacket incident - it started with the paper bag and the red things.

I don't want a life of anxiety and lack of confidence for my boy. Is it too young to worry? (yes, ironic, i am worrying about my worrier). I also don't want to push him to do things that upset him or cause him anxiety.