Friendship is more than just having fun. It’s a crucial part of children’s normal social and emotional development. Through friendships, children learn important skills such as:

* Sharing
* Compromise
* Assertiveness
* Listening
* Problem-solving
* Critical thinking
* Nurturing
* Accepting others

Good friends can be some of our best teachers. Those who display positive skills such as listening and understanding can have great success in friendships.

In fact, a recent study published in Child Development tells us that children who are best able to identify what others want, think and feel are more popular among their peers than those who are less socially adept (April, 2015).

The researchers looked at 20 studies that included 2,096 children from ages two to 10 years old in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. Children who successfully perspective-take and are empathetic are also better able to make friends in the early years and maintain friendships as they grow older.friendship-day

Children’s friendships are not just child’s play.

Friendship has been associated with health, decreased stress and the ability to thrive in challenging circumstances (i.e. British Journal of Psychology, 2015).

We hope the thought- provoking conversations about friendship will continue en route to and at home!

We thank you for your support. You are pivotal in helping to make our school one of the best personal development centers in the world.

Best Regards,

Friendship-ConvoStarters