We all love hanging out with our friends.. As children it was play dates, then extra curricular activities, going to the park, movies, the mall, then it was weekend parties in college, dinners with other couples, family vacations together and just having a good cup of coffee with a girlfriend.
All of this is great. Love spending good times together. When there are good times. But what do we do when times get tough?
What do we do when a friend is not well? Are we there for them?
How do we teach our children that friendship is not only for the good times. It is also for the times when the water gets rough.
Recently there have been viruses going around in my daughters class. Some of the kids have been off school for over a week.
One of her good friends was sick. I asked MJ how Sivan is. She told me she didn't know because she wasn't at school.
We sat done and had a chat. We talked about what it feels like when you don't feel well and you are at home. We talked about what it would feel like if you didn't see you close friends for a whole week. Or go to the park to play for a week. all of her answers were what I expected. Bottom line lonely.
Do you want your friend to feel this way?
No mommy.
So what can we do about it?
MJ quickly came up with some great ideas. First she went to the computer and wrote a letter to her friend telling her what was new in school. Then she drew a picture for her with beautiful flowers and asked me if I could take a picture of it and send it together by email to her house. (kids are little techies). After doing this she said now I am going to call her and tell her she has a surprise waiting for her on the computer.
She called her friend. I listened in.
Hi
Hi
Are you still sick
Yes
I wish you weren't
I sent you something on the computer. It is a surprise.
Really?
Yes
Do you take medicine
Yes
Is it yucky?
Yes
I don't like taking medicine
When are you coming back to school
I don't know
Do you do the homework
Yes but not all of it. I am too sick
We had lots of homework yesterday
I had to do all of it
Go ask you mom to show you my surprise
Ok
I have to go but feel better
Ok
Bye
Bye
I told MJ that I think she made her friend feel much better.
An hour later Sivan mom called and thanked me.Sivan was feeling very lonely and MJ's surprise, letter and call really cheered her up.
I am sure that Sivan will do something similar next time one of her friends is not feeling well or sad.
We must pass it forward.
To teach our children to be good kind and caring human beings. We must show them how to be good friends by example.
Remember they watch and learn from us.
