A Friend about Friends
By Shannon Tuttle
August 25, 2017
Whether our kids have friends or need friends, they can always choose to be a friend. Home, school, church, and neighborhoods are all places kids can make friends. If you haven’t already, check out this month’s issue of the Friend for some articles to use to talk with your kids about friendship.
- Elder Andersen shares tips for being a friend in his “Answers from an Apostle” article (page 12).
- “Friends Come and Go” (page 24) and “Ralphie’s Amazing Find” (page 18) talk about what to do when friends leave—and how to make new friends!
- Sometimes kids might feel too shy to reach out and make friends. In “Chameleons and New Friends” (page 22), Isabel is worried about meeting new people, but then she finds out that it’s fun to make friends.
New Graphic-Novel-Style Stories
August 18, 2017
Do your children love comic books or graphic novels? Make sure to show them “The Rocket Fiasco” on pages 36–37 of the August Friend. Next year we’ll have one story each month in this fun format!
Ready-to-Go Lunchbox Notes
By Marissa Widdison
August 11, 2017
When I was going through a difficult time in college, a roommate of mine left me an encouraging note almost every morning on the bathroom mirror. Over the many days we lived together, each small daily effort added up to be a monumental expression of love. We can do the same thing for the kids in our lives! The August Friend has a page of conference quote cards that would work perfectly as lunchbox notes. Also, you can find past conference cards by scrolling to the bottom of this page. Even a small note of encouragement can make a big difference!
Sincere Apologies
By Kim Webb Reid
August 4, 2017
“No hitting! Now say you’re sorry.”
But what if your child doesn’t feel sorry? How can you help your child learn to apologize sincerely and understand how to repent?
Here are some tips:
- Help your child feel empathy: “Oh, no. Your brother is crying. Why do you think he’s sad?”
- It’s OK for you to voice the apology the first few times. “She’s sorry she made you sad. Next time, she will ask you before playing with your toy.” Your little one may be afraid to admit wrongdoing because she thinks you’ll be mad. You can model the importance of apologizing until she feels safer saying the words herself.
- Ask, “What can you do to make it better?” If your child can’t think of ways to right his mistake, offer one or two ideas and help him follow through.
- When you’ve slipped up and hurt feelings, apologize to your children with the same honesty and humility you want them to show. When you need to, ask for Heavenly Father’s forgiveness in family prayer. With time, your example of mending relationships will prepare your little ones to say they’re sorry—and mean it!
