The Boy Who Wanted to Be Best Friends

Lily loved making new friends. One sunny afternoon, at the park, she met a boy named Finn. Finn was super friendly, always wanting to play and share his toys. Lily thought he was the best friend ever! They spent all day together, giggling and building amazing sandcastles. Finn always wanted to be near Lily, holding her hand and wanting to know what she was doing every second. At first, Lily thought it was sweet. But as the days went by, Finn started getting upset when Lily wanted to play with other kids. He would pout and say, "But I only want to play with *you*!" If Lily wanted to draw a picture, Finn wanted to draw it with her, using the same colors. If Lily wanted to read a book, Finn would sit so close he was practically on top of her. Lily started to feel like she couldn’t breathe. It was like Finn was trying to glue himself to her! She missed having space to play and make her own choices. One day, Lily gently told Finn, "I like playing with you, but I also like doing my own things sometimes." Finn's face crumpled. He started crying, saying she didn't like him anymore. Lily realized that Finn wasn’t being a good friend, even though he meant well. A good friend wants you to be happy and have fun, even if they aren't always doing the exact same thing as you. With the help of her parents, Lily talked to Finn again. She explained that friendship means being kind, sharing, and respecting each other's space. Finn, though sad, finally understood. He learned that being a good friend means letting others have space and choices, just like he wanted them for himself. And even though he didn’t always have to be side-by-side with Lily, they could still have lots of fun together, as good friends should.