Provide opportunities for your child to play with peers and practice these social skills. Earning a place in the group has a real bearing on your child's self-image. It is not the quantity of friends that is important but the quality of the relationship developing with friends. Playmates force children to face realities of their world. They teach what is acceptable and what's not, and how to live by the rules that are a fact of life.
Playmates provide new ways to play, think, talk and get along.
Your child will question you and learn about what you value in friendships. This information and the actual experiences he encounters will help your child grow in his relationships. Functions of Peers Family Replacement. Peer groups provide a certain status independent of one's family. They also can be a stabilizing influence during this time of growth and change in a child's life.