doesn’t judge you

doesn’t put you down or deliberately hurt your feelings

is kind and respectful to you

is someone whose company you enjoy
 
Marley

doesn’t judge you

doesn’t put you down or deliberately hurt your feelings

is kind and respectful to you

is someone whose company you enjoy

is loyal

is trustworthy and willing to tell you the truth, even when it’s hard for you to hear

laughs with you

sticks around when things get tough

makes you smile

is there to listen

comforts you when you cry.

Caleb

Be honest. Keep your promises and do what you say you’re going to do. Be reliable. Nobody wants to be friends with someone who lies. And lies always have a way of coming to the light. Also, friends will say the truth to one another, even when it’s hard. The wisest man in the Bible, King Solomon, said: Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. Shannon got caught up in an eating disorder until her friend called her out: I was addicted to being skinny and looking absolutely perfect. I never really understood what I was actually doing to myself until a good friend of mine talked to me about it.

Take an interest in the details of your friend’s life by being a good listener. Don’t watch television or text while your friend is sharing something with you. Most times people need more than good advice, they need someone to listen to them as they talk through their feelings. Ask them what’s going on in their life and how they feel. Mari commented: Kyler is my best friend because he listens. No matter what is going on he is genuinely interested in how I am. He always has my back and would drop everything if I needed him.

Make time for your friend. Time is one of the greatest gifts we possess. When we share extra time with a friend, we are giving back to them that gift. No friendship can develop overnight. It takes time. A real friend will take that time.

Keep their secrets. Prove yourself to be a trustworthy person who will guard their secrets with your life. A good way to prove you are trustworthy is to be free to share some of your own secrets with your friend. King Solomon also said:  Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. Are you willing to be a friend like that?

Encourage your friend. Everyone needs encouragement. Find specific ways to encourage your friend. Even in the depths of their struggles, show them what you see to be special about them and be willing to pick them up when they are depressed or feel like life is pressing in on them from all sides.

Be loyal to your friend. This is unconditional acceptance, even when your friend makes a mistake or really screws up. Be there when they are experiencing their highest highs and their lowest lows. Laugh with them, cry with them, don’t just talk about always being there. Prove it in your everyday life! Delaney wrote to me and said: I have great friends who are always there for me and always know how to make me happy.

Be willing to work through conflict. Every relationship will hit a speed bump at one time or another. Show your friend you are willing to work through the difficult times of misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Sometimes friendships grow stronger through the difficult times. Don’t give up on your friend just because you are having difficulties.

Watch out for your friend. When you see your friend getting into a dangerous situation whether it’s with drugs or alcohol, or maybe even a destructive relationship, be bold enough to step in and protect your friend from the harm you see coming their way. Narda commented: My best friend is more than a best friend, she’s more like a sister. And she feels that same way. We both have each other back, now and forever.

Friends 

Tell your parents what your preferred living situation is.

Take time out for yourself to process your thoughts.

Contact a helpline for support.
 Marley

This can help if:

you’re not sure about a friendship

you don’t know what to do or say to a friend

you want to figure out what a good friend is and how to be one.

Boy and girl dancing at gig

Why good friends are so important

Research has shown that the better the quality of your relationships, the more likely you are to be happy. So, being a great friend to someone and having friends support your back is good for your wellbeing. But what, exactly, makes a good friend?

Signs of a good friend

Friends will come and go in your life, but more important than how long your friendships last is your friends’ acceptance of you for who you are. A good friend walks the talk and shows that they care by their actions – big and small.

A good friend:

is there for you, no matter what

doesn’t judge you

doesn’t put you down or deliberately hurt your feelings

is kind and respectful to you

is someone whose company you enjoy

is loyal

is trustworthy and willing to tell you the truth, even when it’s hard for you to hear

laughs with you

sticks around when things get tough

makes you smile

is there to listen

comforts you when you cry.

good friend

How to be a good friend

If you treat the people around you in the ways described above, then you’re already a good friend to them. But it’s not always easy to know how to be there for your friends.

Listen to them

Try to understand a situation from your friend’s point of view. Ask questions to get a sense of the problem or issue, but the main thing is to listen to them. You don’t have to have all the answers, and don’t assume that your friend wants advice – they might just want to talk so that they can work it out for themselves.

Get the facts

If your friend has a medical or mental health issue, a good way to offer support is to learn about what they’ve been diagnosed with. Being interested in what they’re going through shows you care, and that you plan to stick around no matter what’s going on.

Ask them what they need

If you’re worried about someone and you want to be there for them, ask them what they need. You’ll then know what they find helpful during tough times, and you can offer them support in a way that’s genuinely helpful.

Get physical

Hugging your friends is a great way to show you care for them. Physical contact can be really comforting, especially when someone feels alone.

get physical

Keep in touch

Even if you don’t live nearby, show your friends you’re there for them by making an effort to keep in regular touch through social media, emails, texts and calls.

Tell them how you feel

You don’t have to make a big deal about it all the time, but you can make a real difference to how someone is feeling just by letting them know how important they are to you. So, go for it!

Be willing to make a tough call

If you think your friend’s safety is at risk, you might need to act without their consent and get help. It can be a tough call, particularly when you’re worried how they’ll react, but remember that good friends care enough to step up, and that you’re doing it to protect them from harm.

Caleb

owdy Wonder Friends! Given today's Wonder of the Day, we're particularly glad to call you all friends. If you come back to Wonderopolis every day, that would make you a really good friend!

How many friends do you have? There's no need to count! But just give it some thought. You probably have more friends than you realize. You have friends at school. You have friends in your neighborhood. You probably would call your family members your friends. You may even have friends at church and on sports teams, too!

How many of your friends would you consider good friends? Sometimes people use the word “good" to indicate someone is a close friend. But we're talking about the word “good" that indicates someone is a quality friend — or the opposite of a bad friend.

Parents and teachers have probably stressed to you the importance of making good friends as you grow up. Surrounding yourself with good friends makes life more complete and enjoyable. But what exactly makes a good friend?

The definition of a good friend varies from person to person, but there are certain traits, characteristics, and qualities that most people would agree make someone a good friend. Let's look at a few of those things that make a friend “good."

When you ask people what makes a good friend, you'll often get answers that boil down to one quality: presence. A good friend is there for you when you need them. Whether it's helping you through the grief of losing a loved one or being by your side when you're sick, good friends are present in good times and bad.

You don't have to be experiencing a trial to need a good friend. Sometimes being present for a friend simply means listening when they need to talk, helping out with homework, or even assisting in the search for a missing cell phone.

One of the keys to being present for a friend is action. People can say all sorts of things, but as the old saying goes, “actions speak louder than words." Someone may say they'll be there for you when you need them, but when difficulties arise, a good friend will actually be there to help.

Another important quality of a good friend is loyalty. We all experience times when we're not the most popular person to be around. Perhaps we've done something wrong or we're in a bad mood. Good friends are loyal and accept you for who you are during the good and bad times.

Good friends are also honest — honest enough to tell you when you're not being a good friend yourself. Some people only want to surround themselves with people who will tell them what they want to hear. Good friends will tell you what you need to hear, even if you don't want to hear it.

Along with good friends who are present, loyal, and honest, most people want friends who are trustworthy. If you can't count on a person, it's hard to consider them a good friend. Mutual trust between friends is a building block of a solid friendship that could last a lifetime.

Another one of those solid building blocks of lasting friendships is communication. Do you have a friend who finishes your sentences when you speak? Perhaps the two of you are on the same wavelength to such an extent that you seem to know what the other is thinking without needing to say anything. That kind of close bond is hard to come by and is a clear mark of a good friend.

There are many more qualities of good friends that we could discuss. Some qualities are more important to some people than they are to others. Each person must set his or her own criteria for what it means to be a good friend. And that means you, too, must possess those qualities in your interactions with your friends.

Be who you are, and seek out friends who allow you to be who you are and not someone else. Encourage one another and respect each other's boundaries. Always seek the good in others and be respectful in your interactions. You never know when the good friend you make today might be a friend for life!H

owdy Wonder Friends! Given today's Wonder of the Day, we're particularly glad to call you all friends. If you come back to Wonderopolis every day, that would make you a really good friend!

How many friends do you have? There's no need to count! But just give it some thought. You probably have more friends than you realize. You have friends at school. You have friends in your neighborhood. You probably would call your family members your friends. You may even have friends at church and on sports teams, too!

How many of your friends would you consider good friends? Sometimes people use the word “good" to indicate someone is a close friend. But we're talking about the word “good" that indicates someone is a quality friend — or the opposite of a bad friend.

Parents and teachers have probably stressed to you the importance of making good friends as you grow up. Surrounding yourself with good friends makes life more complete and enjoyable. But what exactly makes a good friend?

The definition of a good friend varies from person to person, but there are certain traits, characteristics, and qualities that most people would agree make someone a good friend. Let's look at a few of those things that make a friend “good."

When you ask people what makes a good friend, you'll often get answers that boil down to one quality: presence. A good friend is there for you when you need them. Whether it's helping you through the grief of losing a loved one or being by your side when you're sick, good friends are present in good times and bad.

You don't have to be experiencing a trial to need a good friend. Sometimes being present for a friend simply means listening when they need to talk, helping out with homework, or even assisting in the search for a missing cell phone.

One of the keys to being present for a friend is action. People can say all sorts of things, but as the old saying goes, “actions speak louder than words." Someone may say they'll be there for you when you need them, but when difficulties arise, a good friend will actually be there to help.

Another important quality of a good friend is loyalty. We all experience times when we're not the most popular person to be around. Perhaps we've done something wrong or we're in a bad mood. Good friends are loyal and accept you for who you are during the good and bad times.

Good friends are also honest — honest enough to tell you when you're not being a good friend yourself. Some people only want to surround themselves with people who will tell them what they want to hear. Good friends will tell you what you need to hear, even if you don't want to hear it.

Along with good friends who are present, loyal, and honest, most people want friends who are trustworthy. If you can't count on a person, it's hard to consider them a good friend. Mutual trust between friends is a building block of a solid friendship that could last a lifetime.

Another one of those solid building blocks of lasting friendships is communication. Do you have a friend who finishes your sentences when you speak? Perhaps the two of you are on the same wavelength to such an extent that you seem to know what the other is thinking without needing to say anything. That kind of close bond is hard to come by and is a clear mark of a good friend.

There are many more qualities of good friends that we could discuss. Some qualities are more important to some people than they are to others. Each person must set his or her own criteria for what it means to be a good friend. And that means you, too, must possess those qualities in your interactions with your friends.

Be who you are, and seek out friends who allow you to be who you are and not someone else. Encourage one another and respect each other's boundaries. Always seek the good in others and be respectful in your interactions. You never know when the good friend you make today might be a friend for life!H

owdy Wonder Friends! Given today's Wonder of the Day, we're particularly glad to call you all friends. If you come back to Wonderopolis every day, that would make you a really good friend!

How many friends do you have? There's no need to count! But just give it some thought. You probably have more friends than you realize. You have friends at school. You have friends in your neighborhood. You probably would call your family members your friends. You may even have friends at church and on sports teams, too!

How many of your friends would you consider good friends? Sometimes people use the word “good" to indicate someone is a close friend. But we're talking about the word “good" that indicates someone is a quality friend — or the opposite of a bad friend.

Parents and teachers have probably stressed to you the importance of making good friends as you grow up. Surrounding yourself with good friends makes life more complete and enjoyable. But what exactly makes a good friend?

The definition of a good friend varies from person to person, but there are certain traits, characteristics, and qualities that most people would agree make someone a good friend. Let's look at a few of those things that make a friend “good."

When you ask people what makes a good friend, you'll often get answers that boil down to one quality: presence. A good friend is there for you when you need them. Whether it's helping you through the grief of losing a loved one or being by your side when you're sick, good friends are present in good times and bad.

You don't have to be experiencing a trial to need a good friend. Sometimes being present for a friend simply means listening when they need to talk, helping out with homework, or even assisting in the search for a missing cell phone.

One of the keys to being present for a friend is action. People can say all sorts of things, but as the old saying goes, “actions speak louder than words." Someone may say they'll be there for you when you need them, but when difficulties arise, a good friend will actually be there to help.

Another important quality of a good friend is loyalty. We all experience times when we're not the most popular person to be around. Perhaps we've done something wrong or we're in a bad mood. Good friends are loyal and accept you for who you are during the good and bad times.

Good friends are also honest — honest enough to tell you when you're not being a good friend yourself. Some people only want to surround themselves with people who will tell them what they want to hear. Good friends will tell you what you need to hear, even if you don't want to hear it.

Along with good friends who are present, loyal, and honest, most people want friends who are trustworthy. If you can't count on a person, it's hard to consider them a good friend. Mutual trust between friends is a building block of a solid friendship that could last a lifetime.

Another one of those solid building blocks of lasting friendships is communication. Do you have a friend who finishes your sentences when you speak? Perhaps the two of you are on the same wavelength to such an extent that you seem to know what the other is thinking without needing to say anything. That kind of close bond is hard to come by and is a clear mark of a good friend.

There are many more qualities of good friends that we could discuss. Some qualities are more important to some people than they are to others. Each person must set his or her own criteria for what it means to be a good friend. And that means you, too, must possess those qualities in your interactions with your friends.

Be who you are, and seek out friends who allow you to be who you are and not someone else. Encourage one another and respect each other's boundaries. Always seek the good in others and be respectful in your interactions. You never know when the good friend you make today might be a friend for life!n

Why do people feel lonely?

Because loneliness is so common, it makes sense that there are also lots and lots of different reasons why people feel lonely. Here are a few of the main ones:

Technology. Ever felt like even though all your friends are one tap of a button away, you’re still not really connected to them? Don’t worry: this is a very common feeling. Even though the internet can bring us closer, it can also make us feel like we’re not really talking to our friends, and can leave us feeling lost and alone.

Not fitting in. Maybe you have different interests to the people at your school. Maybe they think the things that you love are strange. Or maybe you just dress differently. In any case, feeling like you don’t fit can make the symptoms of loneliness even worse, and can mean it’s even more difficult to meet friends and feel connected.

Looking after a parent or sibling. Being the primary carer for someone close to you who is sick or has a disability can often make you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. After all, a lot of your friends won’t know what it’s like to have a brother with Down’s syndrome, or a mother with bipolar, so being a carer can leave you feeling like you can’t really talk to people – let alone have them over for dinner or a sleepover.

How normal is it to feel lonely?

A study that came out last year showed that 82% of Australians think loneliness is getting more and more common.

So just because you’re feeling lonely, it doesn’t mean that you are different or ‘weird’: in fact, it means that you have more in common with the people around you than you realise.

Disability, illness and loneliness.

Sometimes loneliness can be a symptom of something else going on in our lives, like illness or disability. Here are some of the main issues that loneliness can often be a symptom of:

Mental illness. A lot of mental illnesses like bipolar, anxiety and depression can all make people feel very lonely. Mental illness can make you anxious about seeing others, so you might spend more time indoors. Or it can lead to insomnia, which in turn can make you tired, irritable and lonely.

Physical disability. A range of physical disabilities, from hearing loss to blindness, can often make people feel as though there is no one around them that cares. These feelings can get even worse if people in public are unkind or rude, and facing daily discrimination can make loneliness even harder to bear.

Racism. People who encounter racism say that being discriminated against can make them feel alone, and can make it harder for them to form real connections. Racism takes a lot of forms, all of them hurtful, so sometimes even a ‘minor’ or ‘casual’ act of racism can have big impacts on someone’s self-esteem.

When do people feel lonely?

Loneliness can hit anyone at any time. Sometimes you might not even feel lonely for an obvious reason, and what you’re experiencing could always be connected to other things like depression or anxiety.

But it's true that a lot of people tend to feel lonely during big life events. Maybe you’re moving house. Maybe your parents are getting separated. Maybe you’re going from primary school into high school. Or maybe you just feel like you’ve outgrown your friendship group, or that they’re starting to get into things that don’t really interest you.

When do people feel lonely

All of these things could be making you feel lonely and lost, and you might find it hard to connect with people around you.

How do you manage loneliness?

There’s no one single way to fight loneliness: if there was, everybody would be using it! But that doesn’t mean that loneliness is impossible to beat, or that if you’re feeling it now you will be forever. Here are a few quick dot points that cover some of the ways you can start feeling more at peace with the people in your life:

Talk to people about how you feel

Think about your interests

Get a pet

Get online

Join a club

For more information on these steps, head over to ReachOut’s step-by-step guide for fighting loneliness that you can find here.

Caleb