A Smart Girl's Guide: Friendship Troubles (Revised). Patti Kelley Criswell
Чтение книги онлайн.

Читать онлайн книгу A Smart Girl's Guide: Friendship Troubles (Revised) - Patti Kelley Criswell страница 4

Название: A Smart Girl's Guide: Friendship Troubles (Revised)

Автор: Patti Kelley Criswell

Издательство: Ingram

Жанр: Учебная литература

Серия: American Girl

isbn: 9781609584580

isbn:

СКАЧАТЬ image

      respect

      You’ve heard the word your whole life—at home, in school, everywhere:

      respect. “Respect adults,” “Respect yourself,” “Respect the rules,” “Be

      respectful,” and so on.

      So what does respect have to do with friendship?

      Everything.

      Respect is what you offer

      a friend because you

      honor the friendship.

image

      You could treat a friend rudely—nobody’s going to give you detention

      or ground you if you do. But you choose not to do that. You want your

      friend to know how much she means to you. Of all the things that can

      bind two people together, respect may be the strongest.

      Having respect for someone else means

      • resisting the temptation to talk about your friend behind her back,

       even when you’re angry.

      • trusting that her intentions are good ones.

      • believing her when she says she’s sorry.

      • being happy for her even when you’re really jealous.

      Showing a friend respect takes effort—but it’s worth it. With trust and

      respect, you and your friend will have fewer problems, solve them more

      easily, and enjoy each other a whole lot more.

      The thing I look

      for most in friends

      is how open-minded

      they are. I think it’s

      important that my

      friends can respect

      me for who I am.

image

      friendship

      hot spots

image

      So you’ve found a great friend. She has all the qualities you value most,

      and in so many ways she’s perfect. That’s it. Right?

      Uh-uh. It’s not that easy. Friendships need care every bit as much as that

      flower in the garden needs water. Even the best of friends have problems

      now and again. Maybe your feelings are hurt because your friend walked

      home with someone else when you expected her to walk with you. Maybe

      you’re annoyed because she calls ten times a night. Maybe you’re jealous

      of her big success, or she’s jealous of yours. It isn’t as if your friendship is in

      doubt, really, but things aren’t so wonderful, either.

      You’ve hit a friendship hot spot. It’s probably not a big deal: a lot of

      trouble comes from mistakes and miscommunication. But even a little

      problem can rub and rub like a stone in your shoe until it makes a real

      sore. The time to deal with it is now.

image

      best friends?

      A best friend can be as comforting as a cup of hot cocoa on a cold

      winter’s night. She listens, she keeps your secrets, and when you’re

      together, it just feels right. You feel safe and secure knowing she’s

      there when you need her.

      But there may be times when having a best friend makes you feel tied

      down. Do you always need to sit with her at the movies? Can you never

      be partners with someone new? What if you want to be close with

      another girl, too? Is that OK? What if your best friend feels angry or

      jealous? What do you do?

      Are best friends a good idea or a bad one?

image

      It depends. For some girls, having a best friend feels like too much

      pressure. For others, it’s the only way to go. If that’s you, here are two

      things to remember.

      One: Don’t get into a tight relationship with just anybody. If you can’t

      be yourself with a girl, then proclaiming yourselves “best friends” isn’t a

      good idea. It’s better to let your friendship grow for a while. If you want

      to get closer, work on the little conflicts that come along. Let her know

      what you enjoy about her friendship and what you would like to see

      change.

      Two: Even best friends aren’t best friends every single day. Friendships

      are like a dance. You get close for a while, then you pull away, and then

      you get close again. That’s normal. Keep talking to your friend when

      you’re feeling more distant, but be sure you have other friends, too.

      Never put all your energy into a single friendship. That way, if you and

      your best friend aren’t doing well this week, you aren’t left out in the

      cold. In the end, that means a lot less pressure on the friendship.

      I like having a group of good

      friends who all get along. That

      way, СКАЧАТЬ