Winnie the Pooh may be seen as nursery decor more than anything else these days, but actually the lessons in the stories are suited to a much older audience. In fact, they’re perfectly suited to children heading out into the world forming relationships and developing friendships.

This party,” said Christopher Robin, “is a party because of what someone did, and we all know who it was, and it’s her party, because of what he did, and I’ve got a present for him and here it is.” Piglet and Pooh are the best of friends. Pooh and Christopher Robin are the best of friends. While Christopher Robin and Piglet are friendly, we don’t hear of a particularly close bond between them too much. Tigger bothers Pooh a bit, but they adventure together, and Roo and Pooh are friendly, but do they ever have heart to hearts? Different people have different friendships, and we have to allow our friends to have other friends too. Which explains why he always lived at Kanga’s house afterwards, and had Extract of Malt for breakfast, dinner and tea. And sometimes, when Kanga through he wanted strengthening, he had a spoonful or two of Roosbreakfast after meals as medicine. “But I think,” said Piglet to Pooh, “that he’s been strengthened quite enough.”Christopher Robin throws a party for Pooh, to commend him for saving Piglet. Of course, Eeyore was a bit down as he thought the party was for him, but in the end, but he lets it go with his characteristic pessimism and lets everyone get on with honouring Pooh. Sometimes you have to swallow your own feelings to give your friend their moment in the sun. So Kanga and Roo stayed in the Forest. And every Tuesday Roo spent the day with his great friend Rabbit, and every Tuesday Kanga spent the day with her great friend Pooh, teaching him to jump… So they were all happy again.”

What would have happened if the Rabbit, Piglet, Owl and Pooh hadn’t (eventually) accepted Kanga and Roo? What if they had banished Tigger? How many “expetitions” would they have missed out on! New friendships bring new opportunities and new experiences.Some friendships come to an end, some relationships part ways. You will always have the memories, and can return to that place in your heart where the friendship remains. We don’t own our friends, and sometimes we have to let people go. That doesn’t change what we’ve been through and it doesn’t change the joy in having known each other. You have a house, Piglet, and I have a house, and they are very good houses. And Christopher Robin has a house, and Owl and Kanga and Rabbit have houses, and even Rabbit’s friends and relations have houses or something, but poor Eeyore has nothing. So what ‘ve been thinking is: Let’s build him a house.” Here are ten of the biggest lessons I learnt about friendship in Winnie the Pooh: 1) Show Your Friends Gratitude