BUALAN

Families and early Learning

Study links early friendships with high-quality relationships

Children who experience a rewarding friendship before the birth of a sibling are likely to have a better relationship with that brother or sister that endures throughout their childhood, said Laurine Kramer in a University of Illinois study published in December’s Journal of Family Psychology.

When early friendships are successful, young children get the chance to master sophisticated social and emotional skills, even more than they do with a parent. When parents relate to a child, they do a lot of work, figuring out what the child needs and then accommodating those needs, Say Kramer. However, this is not usually the case when two children are interacting.

The research showed that the benefits of early friends are long-lasting. Children who had a positive relationship with a best friend before the birth of a sibling ultimately had a good relationship with their sibling that lasted throughout adolescence, Kramer said. And children who as preschoolers were able to coordinate play with a friend, manage conflicts, and keep an interaction positive in tone were most likely as teenagers to avoid the negative sibling interaction that can sometimes launch children on a path of anti-social behavior, she added. From birth, parents can nurture and help develop these social competencies (or skills) by making eye contact with their babies, offering toys and playing with them, she said.

 

After you read the text, match the word you have found in the text

Help someone/something develop and grow	Interaction
Agreeing to a demand	Sibling
Brother or sister	Nurture
Respond to somebody	Rewarding
The stage between childhood and adulthood	Relate
Giving a lot of pleasure	Accommodating
Communication	Adolescence