Friendship makes people feel appreciated and loved. Friends can motivate, support, and understand us and be our shoulder to cry on when needed. They are the ones we can turn to for advice when going through life problems. Now, friendship cannot be the same all our lives. It will be different as a child, teenager, or adult. These relationships have different meanings at various stages in life and can look different at different ages. We all meet new people and form new bonds as we grow up, and we also have friends who have been with us since childhood. From early childhood days to adulthood, our relationship with friends can change a lot. In this article, you’ll discover how these relationships change during childhood, teenage years, and finally adulthood.
Childhood: Pure and Simple
Friendships in childhood can be ‘activity based’, which means that a child makes friends with those they spend more time with. Children often make friends at schools, playgrounds, or parks. They can bond around a favorite game, sport, or toy. This relationship in childhood is very pure and simple. Children can make new friends anywhere and anytime. Maybe a new child moves in next door and wants to talk to them, and a new relationship can be formed.
These relationships can teach children how to share things, how to use their words, how to solve disagreements and even teach them about their feelings. Children might change friends constantly because their interests change or because a new person joined their class. Children’s relationships might be momentary. Friendship at this stage is meant to shape the child and build some characteristics in them that they carry into later stages in life.
Adolescence: Navigating Identity And Change
The relationships that children go through change as they grow. So, as children enter their teenage years, their friendships also change. They stop having momentary friendships and they want something genuine. They want someone to bond with, relate to, and talk with. It is also at this stage that children have a best friend, someone with whom they share everything; interests, experiences, and values. During this stage, friends encourage each other to try new things, take risks, and create new memories.
Peer pressure is also at its peak during this stage. Friends can influence one into doing things that one might not normally do; good or bad. Conflict is also high and extremely normal during this stage; teens have heightened emotions, and this can bring about conflict. Simple things like competition, jealousy, and communication issues can result in conflicts during friendships. While these friendships may change as interest changes, some might deepen and create lifelong bonds.
Adulthood: Maintaining Connection
Friendship in adulthood is hard but it is rewarding. At this stage, we have more responsibilities and important things in life like career, family, and relationships so finding time for friends can be hard. Friendships in adulthood are more serious. You cherish friendships with special people and work hard to maintain them. Here, you put quality above quantity. People need support while going through changes and situations like career change, marriage, childbearing, or even divorce. Friendships offer that support. Honesty is very important for maintaining friendship at this stage. As adults, people find friendships that correspond with their values and life goals. They bond through similar career paths and hobbies.
Final Thoughts
Friendship is ever-changing, so as we change, so does our relationship. Through childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, the core values like support, understanding, cooperation, and empathy remain constant. By understanding and embracing these changes, you can create long-lasting relationships. Friends are important at every stage in life and understanding these stages reminds us why friendships are special and indispensable.
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