Taking care of children is a mind blow. They look to you as possessor of all knowledge, and I'll be honest, it's fantastic for the ego. I give my three children life lesson as vignettes of my life appear, without summons, and today I thought, Why shouldn't I take my podium pounding sessions public? And so I have.
You too can now can benefit from the well from which I dip. As with anything, take what serves you, leave what serves others.
LESSONS LEARNED: Volume 26 of What Life Has Taught Me:
--Say “good morning” back, especially when you don't feel like it.
--Repeat someone’s name
after they introduce themselves. People love to her their names.
--I am not going to assume
anything, but let's talk friends. If you’re not interested in making friends, then move
along: nothing to see here. BUT if you are tired of your social
circle consisting of one, then I’ve got some tips for you.
Friendship Tips 101:
◾Before you say you want friends, you
have to know what that means. Friends mean responsibility, caring,
being there. If it’s not a two way street, then that’s not
friends. You may just be using each other to not be alone. That won’t
work.
◾Manners are important. Manners mean
no nose picking, farting, grabbing your crotch or constantly sticking
your side boobs back in place.
◾Don’t play with your food, don’t
chew with your mouth open, don’t eat with your hands, don’t wipe
your hands on the tablecloth or on your shirt or anyone’s shirt
when you pretend to give them a hug good-bye.
◾Don’t focus only on the people
that you want to like you. Think of everyone. They usually
turn out to be cooler than the ones you think you want to like you.
◾If someone doesn’t like you,
accept it. Don’t be needy. Don’t ask what is wrong with you, why
don’t they like you, is there a chance?, don’t give them money to
like you or buy them presents. Move on.
◾Just because you feel like doing
something doesn’t mean you should do it. You may want to laugh and
point at your friend’s new haircut but that’s not nice. Don’t
do it.
◾Ask people about their lives, it
shows you care. And if you don’t care, well then, we need to ask
why you say you want friends. Back to step one: meaning of
friendship.
◾Always ask permission before
touching, grabbing, snatching, pushing, jumping, climbing, bumping,
rubbing a person. ALWAYS.
◾And the most important rule of all:
If anyone says they won’t be your friend if you don’t play spin
the bottle or Doctor with them, tell them your mother doesn’t let
you play those games. Then leave that house and never be friends with
them again. Oh, sorry, forgot I wasn't talking to my kids again.
* * *
You know, I think we are never too old for friendship tips. It's interesting how easy it is to forget some of these things.
ReplyDeleteIt's always going to be hard for some of us. xo
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