he family members or caregivers you grow up with are really your first
“friends.” If these relationships were healthy, you learned early on about
the joys of connecting with another person. Connecting with others is a basic
human need, and that’s why as soon as you started school, you began develop-
ing friendships outside of your family.
By the time you’re a teen, the role your friends play in your life takes on a
deeper meaning, both socially and emotionally. Life is more fun when you
share it with friends, and your problems are a little bit easier to handle when
you’ve got someone to talk to. But what about friendships you’re not so sure of?
What happens when friends grow apart or if one of them turns out to be
untrustworthy?
What about your peers—the people you see nearly every day but who aren’t
necessarily your friends? What role do they play in your life? Or the people
who seem like enemies and enjoy making you miserable? What do you do
about them?
Dealing with friends, peers, and enemies—while very challenging—offers
you great learning opportunities. When you know how to make the most of
these challenges, you can become a more confident person and a better friend.
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C H A P T E R 5
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Friends, Peers, and Enemies