Romance in cerita anak should rarely be the main plot. It is the B-plot. The main plot is saving the treehouse, winning the quiz bowl, or finding the lost cat. The relationship develops while the characters are busy solving the real problem. This teaches that life does not stop for romance.

What is the central emotion of childhood romance? It is not lust; it is wonder . Write the feeling of a secret note passed in class. Write the terror of your mom asking, "Itu siapa yang call tadi?"

It is important to distinguish between the relationship (the bond, the friendship, the shared history) and the romantic storyline (the tension, the pursuit, the payoff).