Friends. How many of us have them?
Friends. Ones we can depend on.
Friends. How many of us have them?
Friends. Before we go any further, let’s be friends.
– Whodini
The above photos are a juxtaposition of the back-to-school experience. Exhibit A shows my two boys on the first day of school, as happy and excited as your Facebook feed can stand, but not really. They, despite a summer spent on a family road trip away from their friends, were in no hurry to get back to them.
That, of course, is an unfair statement, because seeing their friends again was high on their list of things to do, they just didn’t want school to be the place for it. School, for them, is just the stage on which they play in friendship.
The second photo is from my youngest son’s birthday sleepover. There were 14 tween boys. There was one of me. If that math has you thinking I’m some sort of a saint, you’re right. I get that a lot.
He is a social butterfly, finding friendship in an instant and free smiles for everyone. He has a number of friends that he stays in constant contact with, whether it’s doing homework together, playing on sports teams or laughing through group calls while gaming.
Friendship, for him, is a verb and a thing worth doing.
My oldest son draws lines, not to be crossed, but to be cherished. Friendship is a separate thing, far above classmates and acquaintances. That isn’t to say he doesn’t enjoy the company of others or think fondly of them, but friendship is something worked toward and nourished, not given to anyone with a pleasantry, and certainly not taken for granted.
The wonderful thing about friendship is that there is no wrong way to do it. Whatever works for you and your friend(s), that’s the way it should be.
Friendship is a comfort zone where hobbies, adventures and happiness draw Venn diagrams of each other.
No Bully for You
However, did you know that friendships don’t just bring fun and confidants into your child’s life, but also a barrier of protection against the assorted bullies of the world? According to Dr. Mary Alvord, “Research shows that even having one close friend serves as a protective factor against bullying.”
Not only that, but friends can provide a support system when faced with peer pressure as well. Friendships continue to gain importance as kids get older and encounter more high-pressure situations, because it is always easier to make the right decision when someone else is doing it with you. That someone can’t always be us.
If you would like to know more on the matter, log onto the #TalkEarly page for more information on building a lifetime of conversations with kids around the big topics, specifically alcohol responsibility, and encourage them to have similar talks with their friends. If you would like to read more of Dr. Alvord’s interview with Responsibility.org, you can do so here.
This post is in partnership with Responsibility.org and the #TalkEarly campaign. Our collective mission is to eliminate drunk driving and speak to kids about underage drinking; also to promote responsible decision-making regarding the consumption of alcohol. It is a good cause, and while I am compensated as a #TalkEarly Ambassador, my opinions remain my own. Obviously.
Please learn more about Responsibility.org and #TalkEarly by connecting on social media:
Whit Honea is the co-founder of Dads 4 Change and the Social Media Director of Dad 2.0 Summit. Deemed “the activist dad” by UpWorthy (and one of the “funniest dads on Twitter” by Mashable), he is a regular contributor to The Modern Dads Podcast and the author of The Parents’ Phrase Book—a family guide to empathy that you should totally buy.
