Friendship

These are so valuable because they are still comple­tely unaf­fec­ted by ever­y­thing that often plays an important role in the adult world: Bene­fit — what do I get out of my rela­ti­onship with a parti­cu­lar person?

Child­ren make friends because they are on the same wave­length with another child. Because they give and receive appre­cia­tion, atten­tion and empa­thy. Friend­ship in the true sense of the word is a close moral bond. The bene­fits are not important. One has the same atti­tude, the same opinion, the same view on many topics.
As diffe­rent as one may be on the outside. Child­ren do not evaluate people as ratio­nally as adults. This is about a first self-chosen emotio­nal connec­tion. And some­ti­mes one is lucky enough to have such a sand­pit friend­ship throug­hout one’s life. There is hardly anything more precious. The level of under­stan­ding, trust and relia­bi­lity that such a friend­ship brings with it is some­thing that other­wise has to be sought for a long time in life. That’s why parents and nannies should support and encou­rage true friend­ships that are based on mutuality.