Friendships are critical to a strong emotional and social development. Children learn to build trust, cooperate, communicate, solve problems, and develop self-confidence and self-regulation through friendships. Friendships allow for basic social skills while improving a sense of self-esteem. Parents can play a critical role in helping their children build a strong social foundation, and in the book a father helps his son learn about developing friends. In Young, Old, and New: Friends Forever, a parent understands how friendships can be forever. Henderson, a mallard father, takes an active role in preparing his duckling to accept different types of friends when building new friendships. Henderson had formed a deep friendship with a young boy when he was a duckling. He continues this friendship twenty-five years later. Henderson's son is shy and withdrawn with no friends and seems to not make friends. When his old friend invites him to a South Carolina family beach family reunion, Henderson sees it as an opportunity to help his son. During the week, Henderson Jr. experiences many new activities and adventures with all his cousins. He learns that there can be many types of friendships, and each can be very special. Henderson Jr. learns that friends can be old, young, or new, and although miles can separate them, friends can be forever.