Sign Up
School Account Sign Up
Contributor: Shannon Malkovsky. Lesson ID: 10264
What does the word friend mean to you? What do you look for in a friend? How can you be a good friend? What makes friendship special? Explore here!
You made plans to meet your friend Tina at the movies at 7:00. Tina arrives 45 minutes late. When she comes, she does not apologize for being late but blames you and says you should have called her if you were concerned.
When you are standing in line to pay for your movie ticket, Tina realizes she does not have enough money for her ticket and demands you give her some money. You only brought enough money for a ticket and snacks, but you feel pressured to give her your money.
Relationships are an important part of our lives.
They have the potential to add enjoyment and happiness to our lives, but certain ones can cause sadness and discomfort.
Learn about the characteristics of a healthy relationship and how you can be a better friend!
Your life has many different types of relationships, including the following.
| parents | boyfriends | girlfriends | |
| friends | teachers | coaches | |
| co-workers | classmates | family |
Consider these questions.
Important Characteristics of Healthy Relationships
It is important to understand what makes someone a good friend and to remember to have those characteristics ourselves to be the kind of person we want others to be.
Respect
You should always feel accepted and allowed to be yourself. No one should pressure you into doing things that make you uncomfortable.
Safety
It is important to feel emotionally and physically safe.
Emotional safety means you feel comfortable being yourself without fear of being put down.
Physical safety means you are not being hurt or pressured into unwanted physical contact.
Support
Support means caring for and wanting what is best for you. Your friends should understand if you can’t hang out because you have to study or spend time with family.
Individuality
Feeling like you can be yourself matters. After all, being an individual is what makes you, you!
Fairness and Equality
Having an equal say in your relationships is vital. From the activities you do together to the friends with whom you hang out, you should have an equal say in the choices made in your relationships.
Acceptance
Friends and girlfriends or boyfriends must accept you for who you are. You shouldn’t have to change who you are or compromise your beliefs to make someone like you.
Honesty and Trust
Honesty builds trust. You can't have a healthy relationship without trust!
If you have ever caught your friend's boyfriend or girlfriend in a huge lie, you know it takes time to rebuild trust.
Communication
Talking face-to-face (not just by text) about your feelings is key. Listen to one another and hear each other out.
Text and Facebook messages should be respectful, not mean, hurtful, or inappropriate.
However, it is also important to be humble and forgiving of others. Everyone makes mistakes, and extending forgiveness is critical to relationships.
Now that you know what makes a good friend, ask yourself this question.
Complete the I Am . . . Worksheet located in Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar. This worksheet allows you to rate yourself on important qualities of healthy relationships.
Once you have completed the worksheet, add your score and read what it means on the fourth page of the handout.
After you complete the worksheet, address the following questions.
Carry what you've learned to the Got It? section for more self-examination.
Supplies
FAVORITE
Like