157 | 365: Friends

One of the hardest parts of being a parent is watching from a distance as your children develop friendships. We know that true friendship can craft our children, develop and enhance them. But we also know the wrong friends could have a long-term negative influence on them.
 
We would like to determine who our kids are friends with, but we know that they must learn those lessons themselves.
 
So we watch and coach. We listen as they describe hurts and share their joy as they discover true friends.
 
This is a picture of some of Kyla’s friends. We headed to Rotorua, for gondola and luge rides to celebrate her upcoming 10th birthday. Kyla and her friends were incredibly well behaved, had heaps of fun and enjoyed the day.
 
I am proud of Kyla. I am proud of the friends she is choosing. I am proud of how she connected with each of them yesterday.
 
So far so good. Long may it continue as we head towards her teenage years.