Ingredients for friendships

Last week, we discussed the ingredients that are required make and maintain relationships.  We compared it to baking a cake.  First we discussed all of the ingredients to bake a cake.  I must say, I think we have some great pastry chefs in the making.  We then utilized the same idea to discuss the ingredients for friendships and other relationships.  We discussed that aside from the ingredients to baking a cake, we need one very important element: heat.  The heat is the element that binds all of the ingredients together.  In relationships the heat is our attitude.  Yes we may be able to recognize all of the ingredients for positive relationships.  What determines the level of success is the attitude that we take towards it.  Our attitude jells all of the ingredients togheter and creates something unique: a beautiful and positive relationship.  We are more than the sum of the parts.  Our attitude binds the parts and trully creates something special.  Relationships are organic and metamorphic.  It is hard to explan, but we can all identify a neat relationship when we see it.  In middle school, we extended it further to generalizing such behavoirs.  At the high school level, we duscussed the concept of the emotional bank account.  We discussed that as adults, we get out of relationships what we invest in them.  We also discussed that we are the "best and "worst with the those we love most".  Subconciously, we feel that they are always going to be there no matter what.  But will they?  How far will they bend before they break?  How about not push so hard so that we never have to find out! 
Reflection:  Students have to know and feel that we genuinely love them; that we want for them what we want for our chidren.  We are all interconnected in this world.  If they are trully happy, we will inturn be happy.    We get the students that we get.  It is our reponsibilty to ensure that we help them all find their genuine happiness.  When we point at the student, family, poverty and say that is why...  Look, there are four fningers pointing back at you. 
Talk soon...