Friendships

Lasting Friendships  Common Interests  Loyalty  Empathy  Dependability  Reciprocity  Caring

Empathy  Being able to understand what someone else is feeling

Ways to Meet New People  Join a club/group  Join someone in a worthwhile activity  Make yourself more interesting

Making Conversation  Ask open-ended questions  Pay attention to what the other person is saying and respond to it  Speak with enthusiasm  Avoid controversial topics

Rejection  Rejection can be painful  It can shake your self-esteem and self- concept  It can cause your to wonder “What’s wrong with me?”

Can Rejection be a Positive?  Yes, it can alert a person to traits that may be obstacles to building relationships

Strong Friendships  Continue showing the qualities that helped the friendship begin  Make time for each other  Confide  Communicate honestly

Teen Friendships  As children, friends are chosen that are like themselves  As Teens, people appreciate differences and form deeper relationships

Clique  A clique is a small exclusive group  It can be formed by accident or by people who want to be around others who are like themselves

Cliques can be Damaging  Some are rejected  Creates peer pressure  Forms a group identity that can interfere with other relationships  Leads to negative behavior

Take a Stand Against Cliques  Include a wide variety of friends  Treat others with respect and kindness  Don’t let the clique be any more influential than you want it to be

Benefits of Friends of Different Ages  It broadens understanding of themselves and the world  Teaches new ideas  Provides someone to look up to

What causes friends to grow apart?  Changes in interests  Experiences  Outlooks  Spending less time together

Benefits of long lasting friendships  Becoming a friend changes you  Opens you up to others  Strengthens qualities that improve your character  Teaches you the joy of sharing and giving to others