Does Your Child Have a Best Friend?

[minmate]

If so, how long have they been friends? How old were they when they established what you would consider thier first best friend relationship? How do you feel about kids having best friends, especially at an early age? How early do you notice cliques forming?

 

[Microcell]

My DD is only six, but she adores her best friend! They have been best friends since DD was about three she really started thinking the owrld of her friend. I don't know about cliques, but the first graders seem to be showing the signs of pairing off and whatnot.

 

[Disney Ella]

My kids (twins) share the girl next door as their best friend. I remember when I was young that every girl "had" to have a best friend and it seems nothing has changed now. To me, having several good friends is a lot more important than designating one the "best", and while I don't say anything against the whole best friends thing, I don't push the idea either.

 

[peacefulgirl]

Yes, my DD does. She is 11, has been BF for 4 years. I think its a natural thing if your child is in a postition to have the time to develope one, but do not think it is a must.

My DS didnt have a real bf till JR High.... boys are diff lol

 

[grinningghost]

No. She never really had a best friend. There was one that came close, but mostly she just has a bunch of friends.

Do BF's count?

 

[cats7494]

If so, how long have they been friends? How old were they when they established what you would consider thier first best friend relationship? How do you feel about kids having best friends, especially at an early age? How early do you notice cliques forming?

Yes, my DD10 has 2 best friends but she has other friends she loves to hang out with as well. They became really close in 2nd grade when my DD came to their school. They were in Girl Scouts together and also soccer,volleyball, and softball teams.
I see nothing wrong with best friends...as long as other friends are formed as well. I have been lucky..my DD is super friendly and nice so she gets along with pretty much everyone.

 

[laurie31]

My DD8 has a best friend. Her mom and I are friends and were pregnant at the same time, so they've literally been friends since they were born They are in different school districts (our tiny city is on the county line - we live on one side and they live on the other) but they are together at church and do lots of things together. DD8 also has 2 very close friends who are in her class at school and who both live in our neighborhood. They don't attend our church or do the same extracurricular stuff though, so she only sees them at school or if she invites them over to play. From what I understand from talking to teachers and watching things myself, cliques are in their infancy in 3rd grade but really start to develop in 4th and 5th. By middle school it's brutal out there! I dread those years for my dds.

DD6 on the other hand, has never had anyone she considers a best friend nor is she really close to any one particular child in her classes at school or church. She likes the other kids and plays well in a group, and likes to invite different friends over to play, but she hasn't latched on to one certain person as her best friend. I think she's going to be the kind of person who has a large group of friends, while older DD will be the kind of person who has only a few friends but is very close to those few. Who knows, though, they are still pretty young

Laurie

 

[poohtown]

DD16 has had the same bestfriend since kindergarten. She had let dd sit with her on the bus and that was that. They've never had even a serious fight. They've been through a lot and always stuck together so I'm happy about it. They've both gone through an assortment of friends and now have friends they hang around with more than each other (they go to different schools now) but they still consider each other best buds.

DD9(almost10) has had her bestfriend since 1st grade. But I see them probably staying friends for quit awhile.

As far as cliques goes, yes they are there. DD16 had to go through some tough choices when people started having problems with her friend. She doesn't regret sticking by her side and neither do I.

 

[padams]

DS 9yo had a best friend since they were 2. They have been in the same class in preschool and elementary school more often than not. They took tennis lessons together and for a while, played on the same soccer team. We also go to the same church. They saw each other almost every day of the week.

Last year, in 2nd grade, DS got really frustrated with best friend because DS wanted to eat lunch with other kids, play with other kids at recess, etc. Best friend would get upset if DS did anything with anybody else. We dropped the tennis lesson, and asked the teacher to put them in different classrooms for 3rd grade but their friendship still isn't as strong as it used to be because best friend is still upset when DS hangs out with other kids.

I have tried somewhat to discourage myother DS 7yo from having one best friend. He has several good buddies but no one best friend. He's happy, so I'm happy.

At our school, cliques form as early as kindergarten. The boys don't seem as clique-oriented as the girls.