Can’t I Just Stop Feeling So Alone? / Can’t I Just Be a Good Friend?

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards

Medalist: Best Series – Nonfiction: Can’t I Just…?

WHAT IT’S ABOUT

Friendship can be confusing. Sometimes you want more friends. Sometimes you have friends but still feel lonely. And sometimes you’re not sure whether you’re being the kind of friend you want to be.

Can’t I Just Stop Feeling So Alone? / Can’t I Just Be a Good Friend? looks at friendship from both sides: what you need from other people and what they need from you.

It helps kids think about making friends, keeping friends, handling problems, and understanding why some friendships feel good while others don’t.

Friendship works both ways.

Having friends isn’t just about finding people you like. It’s also about learning how to be a friend.

Good friends listen to each other, spend time together, care about what the other person thinks and feels, and make room for each other. Sometimes one friend needs a little more help than the other. Over time, though, both people should feel like the friendship matters.

And feeling lonely doesn’t always mean you have no friends. Sometimes it means you’re missing the kind of friendship you really need.

What makes a good friendship?

  • Listen

    Being a good friend means paying attention to more than your turn to talk. Listening helps you understand what another person is actually trying to tell you.

  • Give + Take

    Friends do things for each other. They talk, listen, help, share, invite, ask, and show up. It shouldn’t always be the same person doing all the work.

  • Know What You Need

    You can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely. Thinking about what you wish were different can help you understand what you’re looking for in a friend.

Friendship is something you can get better at.

Can’t I Just Stop Feeling So Alone? / Can’t I Just Be a Good Friend? helps put words around friendship, loneliness, expectations, and connection so you can better understand both what you need from other people and what they may need from you.


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