What is Friendship?

We have different kinds of friendships. A good network of friends will include friends of different ages. It will have friends of different abilities. It will have friends with different interests. We feel closer to some friends than others. We may see some friends often and others only now and then.

A friend is someone who:

  • you like to spend time with.
  • you care about, and who cares about you.
  • is fair and honest. Friends do not take advantage of each other.
  • respects your boundaries.
  • you can count on, and who can count on you.
  • you can have FUN with.

A real friend is NOT someone who:

  • you just met and don’t really know.
  • has no time for you.
  • only wants their own way.
  • does not think of you as their friend–even if you want to be their friend.
  • is paid to help you. This person may become a friend gradually. Then they will want to spend time with you even if they are not paid.

In a real friendship, each friend makes a contribution. These contributions will be different.

Aine on What is a Good Friend
Aine on What is a Good Friend

Aine graduated from the Steps Forward Program at the University of British Columbia. She made friends there. She says a good friend is someone you trust and rely on and who respects you and the choices you make. She says you need to respect their friendship. She suggests that if you are interested in having someone as a friend it is good to find out what their interests are and what kind of things you can do together. It is also good to find out if they are trustworthy and reliable.

To see the written version of what Aine said, visit: http://www.ibelong.ca/uploads/YA_2_Aine_-_What_is_a_Good_Friend.pdf

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Short-term friendships

Some friends move on. They are not interested in more than short-term friendship. It may be sad when they move on. Remember that this is not your fault. It does not mean that it was bad to be friends with them. Even short-term friendships can help us grow. Each time we make a friend, we can learn a little more about how to be a friend.

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Friends Make Each Other Happy