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Friends

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"But what if I don't make any friends?!" you shouted suddenly as angry tears reached your eyes. Going to school is not what you wanted to talk about during Family Home Evening, my sweet Eisley girl, but it had to be done.

I told a story about a girl who was brand new to school and when she got there on the first day she realized everyone else was brand new too and they were all scared too. So she talked to someone and she made a friend and she found out everyone else was scared about making friends too.

On Monday you girls start school. Kaybree will be in second grade. Eisley will be in kindergarten. J will be a senior. (Senior, part 1 of 2...) J is resigned. He knows he has to go back to school and he's not excited about it but he has accepted it is necessary. Kaybree is excited to see friends again every day. Eisley is terrified.

Eisley is not a shy girl. She speaks up when she needs to and she can jump right into crazy when it presents itself. But she has had trouble making friends. Any time we invite girls over they end up playing with Kaybree and shunning Eisley. I'm not sure if it's because Eisley has not learned to play what other people want to play yet or if Kaybree is being harsh and ruining her reputation. Either way, it has Eisley scared. Eisley never gets scared. Seeing her cry at the mention of school makes me so sad!

I hope that once we go to meet the teacher tomorrow night, things will change. I hope Kaybree will tell you all the wonderful things about school and you will get excited. I hope you'll remember our family home evening lesson and just talk to people.

I think I need to set a few goals for this year. For each of you (of course it makes more sense for you to set goals for yourself and I have no intention of you trying to achieve the goals I set but I want to set them anyways) and then goals for myself.

Eisley:
Make three new friends this year in time to invite them to your birthday party in February
Learn to listen to teachers and follow rules

Kaybree:
Watch out for your little sister instead of tearing her down
Make 3 new friends

J:
Join a club or sport of some kind
Pass your classes
Have no more trips to the office

Aspen:
Grow a few inches
Learn to walk around the time you turn 1

Myself:
Get better at meal prepping. Have two meals each week prepped on Sunday night
Set up a more consistent schedule for homework, baths and activities so these things get done!
Set up more consistent dates with Brendon and dates with friends

I've been reading some articles lately and listening to podcasts about making friends. For some reason it's so difficult for women but it's also such a deep need. I feel that. I feel a deep need for more time out with girls my age! I crave it so much and I know there are women I could call to make it happen--and yet I don't. There's too much other stuff to do. I need more time with Brendon. I need more time with my kids. I need more time!

I don't know how to get more time but I'm setting it as a goal. I need at least twice a month dates with Brendon and I need a once a month girls night.

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