For many people, best friends, BFFs, or whatever you like to call them, make the world go round. Many youngsters naturally seek a special buddy. Many parents of students at a private day school in London may be surprised to learn that having best friends is not helpful for their children. Humans are social creatures. Responsiveness is ingrained in us; we are born to react and relate to others. Even infants respond to the sound of a human voice by turning their heads. 

Children engage with children outside of their families as early as infancy, in child care settings, playgroups, or preschool programs. Children have different friendships than they do with their parents and relatives. Family bonds create a sense of ease, closeness, and intimacy. However, they are not a replacement for other types of connections. Friendship is one of life’s most significant activities, beginning at a young age and lasting throughout maturity.

What is the purpose of friendship? 

• Friendships are essential for children’s emotional and social development. 
• They serve as a testing ground for alternative ways of interacting with others. 
• Children will learn the give-and-take of social conduct in general through engaging with their peers. 
• When faced with a difficulty, they learn how to develop rules, analyze options, and make judgments. 
• They are afraid, angry, aggressive, and rejected. 
• They learn to win, lose, and what is and is not proper. 
• They learn about social position and authority, such as who is in and out, leading and following, and what is and is not fair. 
• They learn that different people and situations require different behaviors and understand other people’s perspectives. 

Advantages of making friends

Everyone benefits from having friends. Friends help one another by sharing issues, offering advice, and boosting self-esteem. Making friends is a crucial element of a child’s social and emotional development. Learning to get along with their peers boosts their self-esteem and sense of self-identity.

Friendships are also beneficial to one’s physical well-being. With friends, children are more likely to engage in physical activity. They are more likely to lead a healthy lifestyle if they are happy and confident in themselves. Friends give each other company and entertainment, and they discover who they are by comparing themselves to other kids who are bigger, faster, adding, or catchier. 

They discover that they are both similar to and dissimilar to others.  Children’s self-esteem improves due to friendships and belonging to a group.  Friends provide comfort and support to children during difficult periods and transitions, such as transitioning to a new school, approaching puberty, dealing with family stress, and suffering setbacks.

“Friendships are a crucial part of development throughout our lifespan.”

Finally, friendships should be encouraged. Encourage and help children form and maintain deep, meaningful friendships by taking them away from their devices and social media. Set an example for your children with your pals. And work on skills like navigating and communicating in complex social situations with them.

Conclusion

Many youngsters naturally seek a special buddy, and the childhood companion is a recurring theme in children’s literature. Children engage with children outside of their families as early as infancy. Friendships are essential for children’s emotional and social development. 

They serve as a testing ground for alternative ways of interacting with others. Making friends is a crucial element of a child’s social and emotional development. Learning to get along with their peers boosts their self-esteem and sense of self-identity. Children are more likely to lead a healthy lifestyle if they are happy and confident in themselves.