Friendship, a Perfect Blendship
We are aware of our children’s busy, scheduled lives. And we know how important it is to allow some time for them to “just be with friends.” So we make sure that playgroups, school friends, and sleep-overs are also part of our children’s lives. But what about us parents?
Marla Paul writes about the difficulties many adults face in sustaining long-standing friendships – and making new friends. Her book, The Friendship Crisis: Finding, Making , and Keeping Friends When You’re Not a Kid Anymore, reminds us that we can set a good example for our children by reaching out to new people and nourishing the friendships we already have . Loneliness for friends can dampen our spirits and make us question ourselves. And we parents need to take care of ourselves so we can care for our children.
Marla Paul points out that “All of us need to continue to freshen our friendship pool because life chips away at our circles. We can never assume we have all the friends we’ll ever need. And plenty of people don’t seem willing to crack open their circles to admit someone new.” This sounds like something we see happening to our children as they move from elementary school to middle school, but it holds true for dads as well as moms. Marla’s book gives details about ways to make and keep new friends in various life stages. It’s a reminder to us that as our children grow in independence, we can help show them that reaching out to others in friendship is an important part of a joyful, fulfilling life. Then, as the Cole Porter lyric goes... “when other friendships have been forgot, ours will still be hot.”
Kathleen Capcara
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