From Alexandra and Jenny

Here are some of the traits we look for in Good Friends...

• Good friends are friends 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, not just when it's convenient or there's nobody "better" to play with.
• Good friends let you play with other friends, and even have fun. They don't try to pick your friends for you, or make fun of you because you like someone who they don't particularly like.
• A good friend says, "I'm frustrated/angry/upset with you." and tells you why. A good friend doesn't tell Mitch who tells Sally who tells Fred that you are mad.
• A good friend says, "You've got a piece of toilet paper stuck in your hair." (A good friend does NOT stand up in class and yell, "Hey look at that toilet paper in his hair. He looks like Big Bird!")
• A good friend doesn't spread rumors, about you or anybody else.
• A good friend doesn't try to change you, but accepts you the way you are. Better than that, a good friend actually LIKES you the way you are – imperfect and goofy and quiet and loud and YOU!
• A good friend remembers that anybody can be a good friend. It just takes work.
• A good friend tells you the truth, even when you don't want to hear it. (For example, she might say that wearing your sister's shoes isn't very smart, for instance, or that it's more important to be able to walk than it is to look cool. Ouch).

Why don't you come up with some rules of your own? And be specific. Remember that we started with a rule about not making puppets out of your best friend's shirt...

Alexandra came up with some more great ideas for what you can do to make and keep great friends. To learn more, go to the Tilbury House site, and look up "Our Friendship Rules".

HAVE FUN with your friends! And Remember to BE YOURSELF!

Love,

Alexandra and Jenny.