Are Best Friends Bad?

Think back to when you were in grade school and you had that friend who ate lunch with you, encouraged you on the playground and stuck up for you with no questions asked. Clearly that friend has contributed to who you are today.

So I was a bit surprised to learn that a growing concern in Canadian classrooms is BFF's.

Some educators believe that twosomes can turn into groups and such cliques are often behind bullying because they can decide who's cool enough or not cool enough to join their crew.
Also, children who only have one friend spend recesses in their own little world and do not build relationships with other kids.

On the plus side, friendships do have there benefits. It teaches kids how to be intimate with someone who is not a family member, how to trust and give-and-take, and it’s a rehearsal for grown-up friendships and romantic relationships. While some may end and may be heartbreaking for kids, the experience of moving on is important too. They learn that some friends are replaceable and that the good ones stick.

So to make sure your child has healthy friendships, here's a few ways to approach the topic.

• Ask your child how their relationships are going and talk to them about what it means to be a good friend.

• Model healthy relationships with your own friends.

• If your child is becoming too insular with a BFF, consider signing them up for a drama class or soccer club where they’ll meet new people.

• If your child has joined a mean clique, talk to them about the behaviour you’re seeing from the group and encourage them to question it.

• Encourage your child to move on if a friendship has become dysfunctional.

• Don’t try to shield your child from heartbreak — they learn from it.

Found on MSN lifestyle