Luke has been friends with "Friend Luke," another boy named Luke, since the two were enrolled in baby gym class when they could barely crawl. "Friend Luke's" mother and I started arranging play dates, probably more for our own socialization than our sons. But now, nearly four years later, the two boys are joined at the hip. When they both started preschool, the teachers put them in different rooms, afraid our two Lukes wouldn't make any other friends if they were in the same classroom. In fact, Luke has several special friends, which child development experts say is natural for a youngsters by the time they are four or five.
What surprised me more was Emma's friendship. At 2-1/2, she still wants me to hold her and likes to pretend she's a baby. But, every time I pick her up from preschool, she gushes about her friend Addison (Isabella and Maya are now often mentioned in her car seat monologues.) At the birthday party, Emma was holding my hand walking in and then cried "Mommy, there's Addison!" The two youngsters leapt into a bear hug and held hands the rest of the party.
The preschool years are when your child's social growth starts reaching a stride. Research suggests this is when the foundation for lifelong self-esteem is built. Playtime with other children is important; it teaches them how to get along with others. Talk to your child's teacher if your preschooler seems to have trouble making friends. If your youngster doesn't go to preschool or group childcare, try to set up play dates with other families or check out your local library, which often holds special group activities.
That night, after the birthday party, I talked to Luke and Emma about how much fun it was watching them play with their friends. The best part of all was when Emma turned to me and said, "Mommy, you're my best friend." Ah, motherhood!
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