This just ruined my night.

Jared made a best friend. He lives a couple of streets over, they ride the same bus, and they are in the same class at school. This kid's name is Alex. For the past two weeks, the boys have been inseparable. Alex either comes here, or Jared goes over there. This week, however, I noticed the visits and playdates have stopped. I really didn't think anything of it until last night when Jared brought up something that made me feel like I was punched in the stomach. Alex has apparently been pushing Jared out of their little circle of friends at school. Alex will literally hold out his arm and physically try and stop Jared from playing with them at recess. Jared will invite him over to the house, and Alex will say things like "I don't want to go to your house. It's dumb." Hello! We have the Wii, and those boys have a BLAST playing it in my living room. You know how I know? Because they scream so dang loud I can't hear my dictation, and I yell at them to keep it down. What does he mean our house is dumb? I served him fruit snacks and a Capri Sun for crying out loud!! Jared even let him play with his new Bionacle. Ugh. I am so upset about this. I'm almost more upset that Jared lets Alex tell him who he can and who he can't play with. Jared is so NOT a passive person, and I want him to assert himself, but he won't with Alex. When Alex "prevents" him from playing with the group at recess, Jared walks away and sits by himself. When Alex tells Jared he can't sit next to him at lunch, Jared leaves and sits by himself. That is just SO SAD. Jared was telling me this last night, and I literally had to drag it out of him. When he admitted everything that was going on, I could see tears welling up behind his eyes. I asked him if Alex's behavior was hurting his feelings, and told him he could tell me if it did. He turned away, wiped his eyes and said "no mom. I don't care." That killed me. I just wanted to scoop him up and hold him and tell him I was so sorry his best friend was being so mean. I wanted to cry with him, and I wanted to fix it. Instead, I told him it was important to not let Alex treat him that way. I told him to stick up for himself, and play with whomever he wants to play with . I told him Alex is NOT his boss, and cannot prevent him from playing with other kids in the group. I'm so sad for him. I have to have faith that things will work out, and that Alex is just going through some bratty phase. Maybe if Jared doesn't tolerate this kind of behavior, Alex won't do it anymore. Or, at least that's what I'm hoping. Growing up is so hard. I thought this stuff only happened to girls.