Friendships Are Important

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All through our life, if we are lucky enough, we'll have a good friend. In our childhood it was usually the neighborhood kids which we played with all day and all night. When we would walk to school and talk and then walk home for lunch and talk some more and then walk home from school and continue our talk. In the evening we would gather in the front yards to play games like Kick the Can, or Ding Dong Ditch, or catch lightning bugs. All such good memories with childhood friends.

Then, we go to middle school or Jr. High School. Some of us are lucky enough to keep our neighborhood friends and continue our growing up with them through school years. Those are good friends. I still stay in touch with a few of mine from our old neighborhood and it's just wonderful to catch up on the good ol' days.

Next, we may go off to college where we continue to make friends. Get married, stay in touch and then make more new friends, couple friends to do things with. Go to dinner, concerts, play games or just get together to talk about life. Different chapters of life usually has different friendships.

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How are you teaching your children about being a friend in these changing times we live in? A few changes come to my mind, one of which is today children go to Day Care and Pre School where they begin making friends at an earlier age. Or, they have "Play Dates" which is much different than when I was a little girl. We actually would just walk over to our neighborhood friends house to come out and play, there wasn't all this technology like today, we loved getting outdoors to play. There was usually a group of us all the time at somebody's home. 

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Still, some things do remain the same. For instance, friends still talk together. Friends still walk together. And, friends still get together to catch up on life. Here are a few additional ways to help teach children what friends can do together and that a good friend is like a hidden treasure, take good care of them!
1. Friends can go to the park together
2. Friends can paint together.
3. Friends can cook together.
4. Friends can sing together.
5. Friends can help out in their community.
6. Friends are honest with one another.
7. Friends are good listeners to one another.
8. Friends can share secrets together.
9. Friends can learn new activities together, like swimming or a sport.
10. Friends can read together and tell stories together.
11. Friends can help other friends.

Friends can do most anything together when they trust in each other, when they respect each other and when they enjoy one another. Tell Friendship Frog what you and your friends like to do together!

Write a letter to Friendship Frog and tell this character about you and your friend. Mail to:
Characters of Character (or your favorite character)
P.O. Box 391
McHenry, Illinois 60050
Please be sure to include a self addressed envelope for a reply. Let's be Pen Pals. This activity helps your child to think about what they do that is kind, or who they know that is kind and how they can be kind. Plus, it helps build literacy and communication skills!


Characters of Character will be adding videos and resources often, please check the website. Our Youtube Channel will also provide the videos.

Characters of Character is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your support and donations are essential to our mission, "Providing a firm foundation for children to establish strong civic values" Let's make the world better together.
Our focus this year is to donate to children in the hospitals. Please consider donating for this cause. Additional information is on our website and this is a short video.
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Contact Joni Downey