Why does my 3-yr-old follow his friend everywhere?

Question

My 3-year-old son has become friends (as much as 3-year-olds can be friends with each other) with another little boy in his preschool class. The problem is that my son follows this other little boy around everywhere and does everything he does. During school the teacher often has to tell my son that he needs to find his "own work" to do and let Sam do his work by himself. On the playground if Sam is driving a little car, then my son has to drive another little car. If Sam gets out of his car even for a second, my son gets out of his car, waits to see what Sam does next, and then follows. If Sam leaves the car to play in the sandbox, my son follows. I think the worst was watching Sam riding a trike and my son following him around the play yard on foot.

Yet, at home my son is a normal, independent little boy who wants to do what he wants to do. He doesn't have any siblings to play with yet (our daughter is only 6 months old) so playing with his peers is relatively new to him. Help!!

Answer 1

copying is the greatest form of flatery your son just want to hang out with his friend and little kids leran by copying. like when you teach them to write you show them the letters then have them copy it and when kid talk they repeat what they hear first latter thay learn what words mean you son normal. he just likes being friend with his friend. people do it all there life like teens when they see other smokeing they might want to smoke to. kids when they are little they have fake phones and cars because they like copying others you son normal. if he diddn't i would be worryed

Answer 2

I used to do that & now I turned out g*y

Answer 3

It sounds normal to me, sometimes kids just click with a certain person. It actually sounds like my 2 girls, since he has no sibling (old enough I mean) to follow around and mimic, he has found a friend. As long as the other boy does not get annoyed by it I would not worry. He will venture more on his  own when he has been there longer, or when he feels secure in himself.

My oldest daughter had a girl latch on to her in Kindergarten and I told her its ok, she just needs someone she can count on and they grew to be very good friends.

Just keep encouraging him, my youngest is like that and she is in Kindergarten and the year is almost over and she is just now starting to be ok on her own (without her sister to follow and mimic) and actually approaching the teacher by herself etc.

Kids are all different, some are leader and some are followers like the other person said, but it does not mean he will always be that way, that is why I think preschool is so important so they can learn how to interact with others before actual "school" starts.

Answer 4

Hes a follower. Sooner or later he will learn how to think for himself.

Answer 5

your son is a follower, not a leader