What does it mean to become a friend? And how do you go about making one?
There are times when even grown-ups find friendships hard to figure out. Here's why the trouble is worth it: being someone's friend can teach us so many things about respect, sharing, communication, how to ask permission, how to give or ask for help, and how to set up proper relationship boundaries.
However, equipping your kids with social skills won't always be easy. And there are many valid, potential reasons for the progress to be slow. Perhaps your child's classmates don't share the same interests, skills, or sense of humor. Maybe your child is too preoccupied by changes in their body, at home, or at school.
Whatever the reason, if you feel your child is late to making friends, it isn't always a cause for alarm. They might just need a little encouragement or a push in the right direction toward people who will help them grow, evolve, and navigate a social world.
If your child is apprehensive about meeting new people, try and inspire them with this stirring, heartwarming kids book, The Cactus and Armadillo: A Prickly Tale About Finding and Keeping Friends.
The story starts with Cactus: a friendly social plant who loves to give hugs. All he wants to do is spread the love! But everyone he's ever met has always run away, scared of his sharp, prickly, and sometimes painful thorns.
Meanwhile, not too far away, timid Armadillo is often too shy to approach and introduce himself to new people. He always tries his best, but it's easy for him to run out of courage. And whenever that happens, he ends up hiding behind his thick, impenetrable wall. If these two have to have one thing in common, it's that both of them badly need a friend. Will Cactus' optimism and sunny disposition be enough to break shy Armadillo out of his shell?
This uplifting narrative tells the story of two brave friends who found each other in the unlikeliest of places. Even though it was hard to find people who could accept them for who they were, neither Cactus nor Armadillo gave up his identity or surrendered and gave in to the sadness or the fear. Instead, they stood their ground, accepted what made them unique and kept pushing themselves until the day they would be rewarded with a lifelong companion to be with through thick and thin.
By inspiring children to dream big and believe in the true power of friendship, this friends book could help provide children with the insights they need to practice patience, perseverance, self-love, and self-compassion. There's nothing wrong with being different. And if you stick it out, someday, you'll meet people who will love you for being you.