B and B

This week while reading Secret of Play  I began thinking about how nice it is to have a close friend with a son only 2 months older than Bennett.  It is also nice that they enjoy spending time with one another.  

Outside of B's cousins, Bradford is B's first "real" friend.  He sees him at least once a week.  He talks about him when he's not around.  He occasionally gets frustrated when he plays with his toys, yet when at home he talks about letting Bradford borrow them.  He talks about the toys and activities at Bradford's house.  He puts on his backpack and says, "I going Badford's house."  And Bradford does the same.

Secret of Play says, "Friendships help your child understand social rules and behaviors, like turn-taking, manners, sharing, and compromise.  Playing with a friend also teaches her [his] to express her [his] emotions, better communicate, and take other people's feelings into consideration.  By 24 months, your toddler is well aware that not everyone shares her [his] thoughts and feelings- a huge cognitive leap that has a big impact on the way she [he] plays with others." (p.53)

Secret of Play also says, "Studies show that children who have at least one close friend before a sibling is born have better relationships with their new brother or sister.  Researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, followed kids from the time they were toddlers until they graduated from high school and found that this impact was long term.  So encourage a friendship if you see one developing-- especially if a sibling is on the horizon!" (p. 53)

Oh we are definitely encouraging it!!!!

God has blessed our family with several friends that have children near the same age as Bennett.  B and I are fortunate to meet with many of them on a week to week basis.  However, due to their age, the amount of time they spend with one another, their interests, and their personalities Bradford and Bennett share a close bond.