I was working with a child recently on friendships and they felt that if their friendships weren’t going well then the friendship wasn’t working and they could no longer be friends. The child believed that friendships should be the same always and friends should be consistent every day. However, we all know that this is not true. There are friendship ups and downs and if a friendship is not going well then it may be to do with something one or both of the children is doing. It may be because the other child is having a bad day and is not responding well to their friend. It could also be something your child has done or said that the other child doesn’t like. There are many things that can affect a friendship and how friends behave together and sometimes they will never know what it is for fear of offending the other or they don’t fancy being honest about what they are thinking.
Friendships Ups And Downs Are Inevitable
I see friendships like roller coasters. They go up and they go down, experiencing good times and bad times. Friendships are not a smooth ride. Our children need to be able to ride the rollercoaster especially when they are good friends with someone. It is not easy as everyone has moods and feelings and they will affect the way we interact with people. Friendships will never be perfect and if a friendship is going through a rocky patch teach your child to hang in there – be patient and continue to make an effort. The friendship may be on a downward slope at the moment but it may start to ascend to the point where your child is content again.
Friendships are there for both the good times and the tricky times. Teach your child this as it’s important – making it through good and bad times is what makes a strong, long-lasting friendship. I have several ebooks – one on friendships. You can download one here.
There are always feelings involved when it comes to friendships. If your child finds it difficult to control theirs have a read of this article to help them control their feelings.
Read my friendship ebook for more help with your childrens friendships.
