Goal:
To explore the meaning of “friend” and “enemy” and how it feels to be a friend, to have a friend, to be an enemy and to have and enemy.

Activity:
Read “My Friend the Monster”

Questions for discussion:
Why were Hal and Humbert enemies?
What made them friends?

Think about people who are really different from you. How are they different? How does this make you feel about them?

Discuss how often people feel afraid or hostile around people who are different from them. Try to help you child make this connection in his or her own life. How could you feel less afraid? How did Hal and Humbert overcome their fear and prejudice?

Think about the word enemy. Make a list of things you think an enemy does and is. If your child has ever had a personal “enemy,” talk about how that came to be. If not, use an example from the world today. Discuss: do you think there are “natural” enemies among human beings in the world? (Predators and prey might be considered natural enemies.) Or are enemies something we create? How does someone or some group become an enemy?