How do you intentionally cultivate and care for your friendships? What’s working or not working?

snatch up her parent friends during the kindergarten year because after first grade, she’d be screwed. All the prospective parent-kid friendship units would be buddied up by then and no longer open to newcomers.

Has a book ever changed your life? If yes, what book was it and how did it affect you?

the closeness we developed was only possible because we lived where we did. We stayed put for a long time and gave each other a lot of attention while we were there.

They recommend using open-ended questions, paying careful attention to tone, and asking self-revelatory questions a bit earlier than you think is okay

doing something new and novel with an intentionally small group of people.

Write their names on a piece of paper. Write down the excuses that have held you back from being closer to them, and what you can do to overcome those obstacles in the future. Then, open up and reach out.

platonic grownup slumber party weekend.

communication, transparency, empathy, and mutual motivation to repair the friendship.