I need a friend!

"I don't have any friend!"

Those were words my 6years old daughter said to me when reminiscing her one week experience in her new class, ....how she loved her new class teacher, .....excited about her new story books and textbooks, .... and then ended on a rather sad note....

"I don't have any friend in my class, all my friends are no longer in my class!"

She said, looking all gloomy, ...you wouldn't believe it's the same enthusiastic human being you beheld some minutes back!

Children!!!

"Who would not want to have a pretty and smart girl like you as a friend?

I teased...tickling her gently downwards her armpit.

She giggled and then explained the cause of her "friendlessness"

According to her, most of her classmates are new pupils and the rest are pupils from the other arms due to reshuffling...

"Oh, now I understand!" I acknowledged

"You need to make other friends"

I told her.

....shrugging and making a facial expression like someone in deep thoughts... she replied:

"I don't know the values of the pupils in my class yet, so I can't choose anyone, I will just be watching them for now!"

Seriously!!!

This 'geh wee nor kee me!'

Values!!!

To say I was impressed by her statement was an understatement!

In my bid to ensure she actually understands what she said, I asked further...

"What values exactly are you looking out for?"

"I like someone who is gentle..like(rolling eyes...) someone who doesn't abuse others, or fight, who doesn't tell lies, someone who isn't a bully, or call people names,....."

Then she made example of a girl she already noticed who says all sorts of abusive words,

"Is your brain wiped off?"

"Are you normal?"...etc

"...she can never ever be my friend!" She concluded.

I seized the moment to commend her smart move in ensuring her friends shared the same values with her and how she can influence others to be of good behaviour and the importance of having good friends with a couple of stories and examples to drive home my point.

The conversation ended with giant hugs and kisses!.

I read a post by Enimien Oruebor yesterday stressing the need to always tell children the " WHY" behind any instruction and ensuring they understand, I couldn't agree more!

By the time we tell our children the reasons they should do things in certain ways, with consistency and modelling, they will comply.

Does it now mean they will always do our biddings at all times? NO!

Children will always be children, as much as we harp on about their wrong deeds, let's celebrate them at every attempt to do the right thing, it boosts their confidence level, among others.

Children of nowadays are smarter, don't take them for granted!

#parenting
#beintentional
#bedelibrate
#children
#genius