Good Neighbors

We are really, unbelievably lucky to live on a street filled with kids. There are at least 10 kids on our street that go to the same elementary school that is 2 blocks away. It's really nice having a street like that and it's great for the kids because there is literally always someone to play outside with.
Directly next door lives Michael's best friend Sidney. Sidney befriended Michael from the minute we moved in and he and Michael have been inseparable since. They've been known to play together for 8 hours straight.
Lately though I've noticed that Sidney and Michael have been arguing. There have been several occasions in which one or both of the boys has stormed home, slamming the door behind them. The arguments typically stem from trivial details such as whether they should play wall ball or cops and robbers or who got to play Wii for longer.
This has been concerning me more and more. I admittedly over react all the time but with Michael's ADHD, he often reacts on impulse and will yell at his friends when he gets upset. Interpersonal relationships are difficult for him because he's not always able to think before he acts. I even caught him one evening attempting to push Sidney off his bike (because Sidney won the bike race I think.)

My husband (and he was a boy once) claims that this is totally normal and insists that all boys do this. He swears that he fought constantly as a kid with his friends in his neighborhood growing up. (I vaguely remember a story about two of them starting each other's newspaper route boxes on fire.) My difficulty here is that I grew up a girl. Girl's are different. We didn't argue and fight like that. I really don't think the bickering between friends began until high school for me.

Yesterday was Michael's 7th birthday. He had school (we're year round in Vegas) and brought cupcakes to school. After school, my husband picked him up and pretty much every elementary schooler in our neighborhood spent the afternoon in our front yard hanging out with Michael for his birthday. One of the gifts we got him was a sidewalk chalk set with 52 colors. When I arrived home from work, I happily found that they had decorated our driveway and the entire street in pictures and messages for Michael. When I got out of my car, Sidney ran up to me and I asked him "Sidney? Did you guys do all of this for Michael?" Sidney smiled and told me "Of course! Michael's my best friend forever!"
It doesn't happen often but I'm happy to report... my husband was right!

Here are a few of the birthday messages written just for Michael.

I believe this would be a very life like image of Michael.

Elementary school = not always completing the name.

They have a club on the street. Notice above, "if not a member do not enter!!"

I had to join in on the fun! Here's mine! Happy Birthday Michael!