Heartbreak is Part of Both Friendship and Freedom

I came across an interesting tidbit of language information the other day. The English word free comes from the same root as friend. Indeed, it appears that the original root word meant "friend," so, in a linguistic sense at least, free is a product or aspect of friend.Anyone who has read here for any length of time, knows that I've never focused on academic things in my work with children. If it must be part of a child's life, that can come later, but during these early years, my primary concern beyond safety is creating a loving environment in which children know they are free to engage as their curiosity compels them. That is to say, play. And among the most compelling playthings are the other children who present the prospect of friendship.Every parent wants their child to have friends, or at least one friend. Our prejudice tends to be in favor of children who are natural friend makers, kids who have the charisma and confidence to throw themselves into the fray. Observational…