Making new friends
ANTOINETTE:
Hi Meg
Thank you for your advice on helping Tom (3) to settle after our move. He has now settled in. His room has all his books and toys and there is so much more space for him. Tom is also making new friends in our road and I have marvelled at how easy it is for children to become friends.
Our new house has a little gate between our garden and our neighbours. It is there so that we can water each others gardens if the we are away and for the children to be able to play with each other. I was in the garden yesterday with Tom and Dan and the neighbours children (6 and 11) were playing in their garden. Tom was chatting away to them and it wasnt long before the gate was opened and Tom was playing with them in their garden. Even though I was there looking over the fence I left them to it, wanting it to be totally free, child led play. Despite the age difference they played so well together. No awkwardness, shyness, stress or rushing. Just pure play - as if they had known each other for years.
It was a real mmmmmmmmm moment. Friendships are so easy when you are a child.