Importance of Friendships
Katie Holland
November 9, 2011
Psychology
The Importance of Friendships
Katie Holland
Psychology
Importance of Friendships
Picture this, a young boy sitting alone at a playground admiring his peers from across the school yard enjoying a game of hide and seek, that he was not invited to. Now shift your attention to the other set of children who are engaging in a rigorous game of hide and seek, all laughing and playing with one another. Which side would you want to be on? How do you get to that side? And how do you avoid being placed on the wrong end? Is it something you’re born with? Or is it easily controlled? Ten years from now where will those groups of smiling young children be in comparison to the lonely boy on the side of the courtyard? Friendships are important. They are a staple in young children’s lives. Children spend an average of 682.5 days of their life in school, if a child goes for 13 years, 7 hours a day, and 180 days a year. That is a large quantity of their life without their parents. Which leaves space for much needed guidance from others. Who better than children who are also going through the same things as them, hence their peers. It is said that, “peers are arguably one of the most important socializers over the life course” (Waldrip). Children rely on one another for support whether or not they know they are doing so. If you were to ask a 5-year-old what makes someone a good friend, they would reply with what seems to be a very simple answer, “someone who will play with me and be nice” (Corletto). Yet once you take a deeper look into his response, you will see that a friend to him requires someone to be kind, caring, compassionate, and can share their belongings and time with him. Much like an adult looks for in their companions. Not only is it important to build friendships because of social necessities, but friends also have a major impact on the schooling of school aged children. “Children who have problems in their social
November 9, 2011
Psychology
The Importance of Friendships
Katie Holland
Psychology
Importance of Friendships
Picture this, a young boy sitting alone at a playground admiring his peers from across the school yard enjoying a game of hide and seek, that he was not invited to. Now shift your attention to the other set of children who are engaging in a rigorous game of hide and seek, all laughing and playing with one another. Which side would you want to be on? How do you get to that side? And how do you avoid being placed on the wrong end? Is it something you’re born with? Or is it easily controlled? Ten years from now where will those groups of smiling young children be in comparison to the lonely boy on the side of the courtyard? Friendships are important. They are a staple in young children’s lives. Children spend an average of 682.5 days of their life in school, if a child goes for 13 years, 7 hours a day, and 180 days a year. That is a large quantity of their life without their parents. Which leaves space for much needed guidance from others. Who better than children who are also going through the same things as them, hence their peers. It is said that, “peers are arguably one of the most important socializers over the life course” (Waldrip). Children rely on one another for support whether or not they know they are doing so. If you were to ask a 5-year-old what makes someone a good friend, they would reply with what seems to be a very simple answer, “someone who will play with me and be nice” (Corletto). Yet once you take a deeper look into his response, you will see that a friend to him requires someone to be kind, caring, compassionate, and can share their belongings and time with him. Much like an adult looks for in their companions. Not only is it important to build friendships because of social necessities, but friends also have a major impact on the schooling of school aged children. “Children who have problems in their social
Citations: Corletto, R. (2011, October 2). Personal Interview. "Helping Your Child Make Friends - FamilyEducation.com." Family Life, Child Development, Nutrition, Teen Health & School Safety - FamilyEducation.com. Pearson Education. Web. 2 Nov. 2011. <http://life.familyeducation.com/social-interaction/friendships/53535.html>. Palmen, H., Vermande, M. M., Deković, M., & van Aken, M. G. (2011). Competence, Problem Behavior, and the Effects of Having No Friends, Aggressive Friends, or Nonaggressive Friends. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 57(2), 186-213. "The Importance of Friends | Scholastic.com." Scholastic | Children 's Books and Book Club | Scholastic.com. Scholastic. Web. 3 Nov. 2011. <http://www.scholastic.com/resources/article/the-importance-of-friends>. Waldrip, A. M., Malcolm, K. T., & Jensen-Campbell, L. A. (2008). With a Little Help from Your Friends: The Importance of High-quality Friendships on Early Adolescent Adjustment. Social Development, 17(4), 832-852. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9507.2008.00476.x