Dear Abby:

I am a 36-year-old woman from Pakistan. I read your advice with great interest. Since childhood, it was always hard for me to make friends. People who I liked I pushed hard to be friends with, but I guess I came across as too clingy. I’m the one who initiates most contact with my old school friends.

Now I see the same thing happening with my 7-year-old son. When his cousins or my cousins’ kids come and he plays with them, he wants to maintain friendships with them through video calls, voice messages, etc. I can see that the other kids and their parents aren’t as interested in maintaining friendships, including my brother and his daughter.

My son is sensitive like I was. How do I explain to him that he shouldn’t expect everyone to be his friend without giving him the impressio

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