They've always been an important aspect of the high school world. But for middle adolescents who live in a culture where adult systems have abandoned them to discover rules, norms, values, and lifestyle choices on their own friends play a far more significant role in their lives than in previous decades. To attempt to break down a student's tribe is to misunderstand how important it is to that student. We must understand and honor the sociological reality of clusters. The days when friendships were simply cliques are long gone.
Family still matters, but in a different way.
This is an incomplete and possibly dangerous point of view. Kids don't want to leave their families behind, even if they sometimes say it. This balance is delicate for the healthiest of families, and youth workers must work to help families during these times of struggle. Huge swings in commitment levels are normal. Thirty years ago, when high school students made a commitment to Christ, to friends, to church that meant they could be trusted to at least attempt to fulfill the terms of that commitment.