Friendship Skills Are Survival Skills for Teens During the teen years, friendships become especially important to kids. Being liked is a big deal. And friendships can affect your teen's school performance. To help your teen build friendship skills: Talk about what it takes to be a good friend—for example, being honest, generous and a good listener. Can your teen think of times when she’s shown these traits? Use role playing to help your teen practice being friendly. Teach your teen to be a good sport. Encourage her to be gracious whether she wins or loses. Compliment her for trying hard, even when she doesn’t succeed. Expect your teen to be kind and polite. Being nice is the right thing to do, and it can make her more popular. Help her think about another’s feelings: "Beth’s mom is sick. How can we could help?" Practice cooperation. Do projects together, such as planning a family dinner. Look for opportunities to compromise. ("You can sleep 10 minutes later before school if you choose your outfits at night.") Support your teen’s friendships. Allow her to invite friends over and participate in group activities. Also encourage her to meet new people. Be a role model. When parents are friendly to each other, kids probably will be too.

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