As children grow up, their ideas about friends change. As preschoolers, friends are there to play with. While these friendships may not seem very important, they really give children much happiness. In the school-age years, children start to build some clear ideas about friendship. In general, friends are those they play with, talk with, and share with.
Friends are people to do things with.
They also have some ideas about how to treat friends. Friends are nice to each other, they are helpful, and they protect each other. In the early teen years, these ideas about friendship change further. During this time, young teenagers begin to understand the importance of sharing personal information with friends. They realize that friends are the ones you can share your private feelings and thoughts with, not just those you enjoy being around.