This morning we had a great discussion about friendship. This began with a discussion of differences and a game that highlighted the many ways in which we are all different from each other, along with the things we have in common. We discussed what it means to be a good friend and things we can do if we are hoping to make more friends. We talked about two misconceptions: if a classmate is friends with one person he or she can't be friends with another person and if a friend chooses to play with someone new at some point they are no longer your friend. I shared several stories that hopefully conveyed the idea that there is always room for more friends. While it is wonderful to have a few great friends who we play with often, we also talked about how much fun it can be to play with someone new sometimes. I encouraged students to take these ideas outside of school as well, at their various after school sites or through play dates.

Already I am seeing more independence and efficiency with all of the winter gear. I have also noticed children helping each other with this. While I am happy to zip jackets and help with snow pants over boots, the more each person can do independently the smoother our end or day transition will be.