Pause for Thought: Somebody’s Feeling Lonely
How can we be good friends to people who feel alone?
by Becky May (video recording by Verity Thornhill)
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider appropriate responses to loneliness and encourage us to be good friends to others.
Preparation and materials
- You will need to have the means available to play the video below. It is 3.04 minutes long.
Assembly
Time for reflection
Let’s think about how we could help somebody today to know that they are not alone and that someone cares for them.
You may wish to use the following prayer.
Prayer
Dear God,
Thank you that you are always with us and never leave us on our own.
Help us to keep our eyes wide open to notice when other people need a friend to care for them.
Amen.
Song/music
‘When I needed a neighbour’, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7a7LdgRh-k (1.49 minutes long)
‘Help me be your eyes, Lord Jesus’ by Doug Horley, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N94BBGiq_vQ (2.56 minutes long)
Extension activities
- During the video, we were encouraged to think about things that we could do today to help someone who was feeling a bit lonely. The video included ideas like writing them a letter, drawing them a picture or giving them a call. Can you think of some other ideas?
Why not have a go at doing some of these things today? You really could help someone to feel less lonely! - If you’re feeling lonely yourself, you might like to read about some other children who felt like you. There are many books where lonely children are the main characters and have all sorts of adventures, such as:
- James and the Giant Peach, Matilda and The BFG by Roald Dahl (reading age 5+)
- A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig (reading age 7+)
- The Secret Garden and A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (reading age 7+)
- Billionaire Boy by David Walliams (reading age 9+)
- Little Foxes by Michael Morpurgo (reading age 9+)
- The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M. Boston (reading age 9+)
- The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. Le Guin (reading age 9+)
- Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce (reading age 9+)
Can you think of any others?