My Back-To-School Friend Plan

My daughter, Sarah, is going into the 6th grade. We have lived in the same neighborhood for all but the first 3 months of her life. She has attended one school throughout this time. She is beautiful, unique, smart, creative, and she really picked up some skills on the basketball court this past Winter. She does, however, sometimes find it hard to get along with kids her own age.

She’s spent entirely too much time on the computer this Summer and not enough outside running around. I try to get her out there, but she’s back soon with “It’s too hot, there’s no one around, the kids are boring…

I took her to the pool, but she and her pal argued so much there yesterday that I brought them home early. She was angry about something that was going on – her friend kept pouring water over her head with a toy that you use to speak underwater – and instead of just swimming away or finding something else to do, she got pissed.

I understand that sometimes kids are jerk-like, mine included, but children are not born knowing what to do. They have to learn how communicate with people, how to pick their battles, and most importantly, how to compromise. Adults sometimes forget these lessons, I’ve noticed. They grow older and a bit on the my way or the highway-ish. We are never too old to learn how to be a better friend.

Summer vacation is more than half over for my kids – we go back on the 12th of August (insane) – so I’m going to use my time wisely. I’m going to read the book, The Care and Keeping of Friends, by Nadine Bernard Westcott, with Sarah.

Bailey and I read it together when she was about Sarah’s age and struggling with peer relationships. I can remember The Care and Keeping of Friends being the second most helpful kid’s book Bay and I read together. It ranked after Everybody Poops and just ahead of The Period Book.

I’m looking at this as a Summer project that we have Sarah better prepared for school in the Fall.  Okay, it will still be officially Summer her for us, but I’m looking at this as back to school-work.  We’ll practice for the rest of the Summer and by the first day of school, she’ll be golden.

Image credit: Barnes and Noble.com