anxiety starting in an older kid?

[cilantromapuche]

My almost 8 year old seems happy go lucky until these 2 incidents:
1) Didn't want to go to friends house alone. So DH went to dinner at their house because the plan was to drop him off after he had piano with friend. We have been to friends house before but never left him.

I thought it was an isolated incident until:
2) He went to sleep over at IL's (he has been before) adn cried that he would miss DH.

There is nothing different in our lives--no big changes, etc. Is it unusual that this would start now? Should I be worried?

TIA!

[tiapam]

Well, I wouldn't read to much into but I would be extra observant. Is he going through something at school or in another area of his life? Have you had a death in the family lately? He may be afraid he won't see you or DH again if he goes somewhere by himself. I don't know if I read it here or somewhere else, but I have heard of kids getting anxious about something they overhear (or maybe another kid tells them) but don't quite understand but which frightens them. I would ask him some gently probing questions to see if you can get anything out of him, but I would wait until the incident is passed. This morning DD was very pensive while laying in bed and when I asked what was on her mind she asked me if she would eat at school in first grade. So you never know what is going through their little minds!