It may be one of the things we long for most in life, companionship. We long to be loved by others and to love; this is the way we are designed. Rarely will we find a good book, for children or for adults, without a thread of friendship or relationship. Even the beloved book ” The Giving Tree” focuses on the relationship between the tree and the boy; a unique friendship.

As young parents trying to positively influence our littles, we can certainly use books to help us teach and guide. We can read sweet stories about how to be a good friend. The positive influences that reading can have on our children are numerous and can last a life-time.

The significance of teaching a love of reading may be matched by the idea of building a village, a community of others, to share life with. I say this not only for our children, but for us a parents and grandparents. Whatever stage of life/parenting/grandparenting we may find ourselves in, seeking counsel from others in similar situations, present or past, can be invaluable. Living through the challenges of parenting alone can be isolating and difficult. Why walk this path alone?

I fear that this isolation may be a greater issue for young parents today than it even was for my generation and generations before me. With the growing dependence on social media, we think of “followers” as friends and threads as conversations. This isolated media interaction cannot be a substitute for real-life, in person, friendships.

Seeking out a “village” takes intentionality. Consider your values, hobbies and interests, and how you enjoy spending your time. Consider the interests and talents of your children as well. Do you/they enjoy reading, hiking, worshipping, sports, being outside in nature, music, singing, dance, volunteering or working with the animals? Consider plugging into a local group of other folks with those same interests.

When our kids were young, we participated in lots of activities with them; scouting, dance, and various sports like swim team, gymnastics and baseball. Little by little, the kids eliminated the activities they didn’t like as much and focused on the ones they enjoyed the most. Friendships for the kids and for us as parents were created through these interactions, and some of those friendships endured through these many years. The most impactful influences on our family came from our involvement in our church.

We choose to go to worship as a family, to serve and learn together, to volunteer and go on mission trips, and to “honor the sabbath”. True friendships, based on faith and love, were created for both the kids and for us as adults. Some of my dearest friends today came from our church family, over 30 years ago. As hardships came, and they certainly will, we had a support system in place- and we were there to help our friends as challenges arrived in their lives too.

Little did I know that I would depend on and cherish those friendships even more as I grew older and unexpected loss came into my life. My village, including my parents, my children and their spouses, my grandchildren, and my dear forever friends have blessed my life in ways that I cannot even express. I’d like to encourage others to seek out friendships, a village that you can celebrate with, create memories with, and even cry with when hardship presents itself. This village can bless and support you and bless others through the hills and valleys of life.

For the parent who loves to use books and also wants to build community, there is the idea of creating a BOOK CLUB with other local parents. Use social media to reach out and form a group that can actually connect in person! This could be a group of parents who share parenting ideas through reading books, or just a group of parents who want to read for pure enjoyment about various topics! These parents could also share book ideas for reading with their children. Booking time with your kids could be the very thing that helps you create a village, something that could provide real friendships for the entire family in the years ahead.

Thanks for reading! Please share and subscribe for ideas of how to BOOK TIME WITH YOUR KIDS!