6 year old who cries a lot

[bear1919]

I have a 6 year old son who i have always labeled as sensitive and everyone know this.  He can be great sometimes but sometimes he just has an emotional breakdown over weird things.  He cries if he can't sit by his friend in lunch.  He cries if he doesn't know an answer in school. He has friends but he definitely doesn't go out of his way to talk to them.  He never ask to go to a friends house, doesn't want to got to anyones birthday party in his class because he's too shy, and he only has one close friend who is his first cousin.  They are very competitive and are in the same class.  My son is extremely smart in school, top of the class, however, he lacks the social skills.  I don't understand why we own a restaurant and he is around a lot of people.  If he doesn't win a video game he'll cry.  He has now come home to tell me that hes got in trouble a few times in school because he doesn't listen too all the directions.  I don't know if he thinks because he is smart that he doesn't have to listen to them all.  I spoke with the teacher she thinks that he doesn't do it on purpose, that he is a great kid, listens well, but tends to not listen thoroughly.  She says that he cries if he isn't perfect and he refuses to ask for help, like its a bad thing. I don't know why he is like that, because my husband and i have always been supportive of him.  He can't tie is shoe, he wants me to still get him dressed in the morning. I don't know if there is anything that i can do to help him?  Is there something that we as parents are doing wrong?  He is a great kid, never would think about swearing, doesn't like to hurt other peoples feelings, and for the most part listens, and as far as school i couldn't ask for a better kid grades wise he is reading on a 3rd grade level.  Any advice is great.

[margypops]

Labelling him sensitive and him hearing it wont help or 'everyone knowing it.

[margypops]

Possibly he has learned that the crying gets him attention, make sure he gets plenty of one to one time and focus on his positive side , dont feed into it as he is doing well at school there is no problem there,his teacher sounds as if she has good insite and is helpful.Let him have his independance, dont dress him lay his clothes out, make sure he has plenty of time, children hate to be rushed to school in the morning and it is the cause of many morning tantrums.Tieing shoes is tough but at 6 you can patiently show him then let him do it himself ,if he cries .its okay, let him ,if you ignore a lot of this it may go away.