Relationships are connections you have with other people and groups in your life. – Peer People in the same age group as you. – Acquaintance A person you know slightly but do not consider a close friend. – Friend a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

Friendship is important to your social health. Good social health includes supporting the people you care about. It also includes communicating with, respecting and valuing people. What is friendship? – Friendships are relationships people choose to have. How do friendships form? Write 3-5 complete sentences describing any common interests you share with your friends, and why you believe it helps create a good friendship.

Some people begin to outgrow friendships. – New interests in school – Differences in growth and emotional maturity. – The healthiest thing you can do when a friend moves on is to do the same. – Eventually you will find other people who share your interests, values & goals. Friendships grow and mature during this time. You begin to seek deeper qualities in the people you choose as friends. – Qualities that you begin to seek out include loyalty and trust. – Loyal friends stay with you through thick and thin.

On your worksheet please write 3-5 complete sentences about the qualities a good friend should possess and why you believe they are important. Trustworthy / Integrity / Reliable Respect Responsible Fair Caring / Sympathetic / Empathetic Forgiveness

You feel empathy when you've "been there", and sympathy when you haven't. Examples: I felt sympathy for my friend whose parents were going through a divorce. I felt empathy for my friend whose parents were going through a divorce because my parents had divorced last year.

Any friend is willing to share your happy times. – A true friend will stand by you during bad or rough times. – A true friend understands how you feel. True friends care about and respect each other. – They care about your feelings as much as they do their own. – True friends respect each others decisions, differences and opinions. Why is forgiveness such an important quality of real friendship? – True friends understand that neither person in a relationship is perfect. – They are willing to forgive mistakes and say “I am sorry” for their own.

Peer pressure is the influence to go along with the beliefs and actions of other people your age. Teens look to members of their peer group or their cliques (squads) for acceptance. – A clique is a group of friends who hang out together and act in similar ways. Peer pressure can be positive and negative. – Negative peer pressure is pressure to something that can hurt you or others. – Positive peer pressure is pressure that can inspire you to be the best person you can be.