Friendships are extremely important to children. In friendships children learn how to share, take turns and care for each other. Friendships foster a chance to exchange ideas and hobbies. Having a friend when life become hard can help ease our discomfort. Friends who share their time and there is an equal exchange of ideas and care are great to have.
When children are little, we should expose them to other children and teach them how to interact with other children. We should teach them how to be a good friend and care for another’s feelings. We should teach them what friendship means and how to be a good friend.
Having your children invite other children from the neighborhood to play at their house or getting to know other children at the playground can help foster these types of friendships. When children start school, it is also a great opportunity for them to meet other children their age. They may have similar interests of children their age or they may forge a friendship with someone who is an opposite of them. Either way I think children learn from their parents how to interact with others since their parent is usually their first friend. Finding the time to play a game with your child, teach them to ride a bike or watch a movie with them will allow them to learn certain skills they can apply to friendships when they are forming.
I still recall my childhood friendships and how much they meant to me. I wanted my own children to develop those types of friendships themselves and believe they have done that. I’m grateful for the fact that my children have to skills necessary to go out and form friendships that may be lifelong.
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