Fourth grade is a time or burgeoning independence. Children are making more choices on their own, and they may find their interests changing and expanding. Fluctuations in social groups is natural, but it may cause disappointment or hurt feelings if someone feels left out. Students need to understand that we may 'outgrow' some friendships, or that sometimes a friendship does not have a healthy dynamic. These are tough feelings to navigate, and children may need assistance figuring out what constitutes a good relationship. Remember, friendships are a building block in future relationships, so it's important that students know how to assert themselves in an appropriate, respectful manner.
Showing empathy, communicating clearly, being able to compromise, having patience and demonstrating loyalty to friends are all traits that rank highly among the social proficiencies that children must hone during childhood. Unlike reading, math and science, friendship is not something that can be taught with a textbook. Instead, it is a skill that develops over time, through many life experiences. Ideally, most of a child’s interactions will be rewarding and positive, but there may also be hurtful or disappointing outcomes at times.
Being able to make—and keep—friends is one of the most valuable skills that children can learn. Having friends who care about them and enjoy spending time with them helps create a happy, optimistic, well-adjusted child. Having friends makes life more meaningful, more productive and, ultimately, more fun.
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What Does It Mean to Be a Good Friend? was created to help elementary school children understand how friends should behave toward one another and recognize why such behavior is important. Specific guidelines for how to behave in a friendship are described. These skills include listening when a friend speaks, being empathetic or looking at a situation through another person’s eyes, thinking before acting in anger and standing up for their friends in order to show support and loyalty.
The program encourages young people to assess their relationships and their behavior toward others. In this way, viewers are not only educated about the proper way for friends to behave, but they are also motivated to learn new, more complex friendship skills and put them into practice.
Ask your child to tell you about the stories in the program and the lessons the characters learned. Create an opening for discussion by asking if he or she has ever been in a situation like one of those dramatized. It’s important to remember that we model behavior for our children, and they watch our interactions for clues on how to treat one another.
