Friends have always been a part of everyone’s life. From the time children start to speak, they become friends with the people they spend a lot of time with. Children continue to make friends as they grow older.

This means that friendship is a very important part of everybody’s life. Friends are people we laugh with, talk to and play with when we are happy.

Also real friends are people who will still talk to us and comfort us when we feel sad. This means that at all times, friends help one another.

Even though this is so true, children need to learn how to choose good friends. Some friends are not good. Friends who are not good are those who influence us in a negative way.

Sometimes they force you to do things that are not right and get you into trouble. These friends are under the influence of bad peer pressure. They do a lot of bad things to make people recognise them and they think it is ok.

In the process they end up hurting other children physically or emotionally through bullying them. All children who are old enough to read this have a right to be protected from bad peer groups
However, there are also groups that are good.

Children who form groups to uplift each other, encourage one another and also help one another are in good peer groups. This is where you find good friends who will always be true to you.

I encourage all children to be wise when you choose your friends. When you do, treat them the way you would like them to treat you in return. Then you will be friends forever.

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