The word of the month is friendship. It’s something everyone needs more of, so several blogs this month will be about this.

Friendship is a very important part of a child’s life and its often over looked by most adults.

Friendship is one of the core parts of our personalities and futures. This is why it is essential that children should learn how to make friends early on. As an adult it is quite easy to dismiss this by saying “just go and talk to new people”. Let me ask you this first, when was the last time you made a new friend, a genuine friend. Not just someone you say hello to in the morning? How easy was it to make a new friend?

The rules for making a friend change as one grows and gets older.

A young child might simply say “can I be your friend” to another child of similar age. This may be all that is needed (of course also involving other skills such as confidence). However, said by a teenager or an adult could result with an odd look as that other person gives you an uncomfortable smile while backing away.

One way that people make friends is through shared interest. This is especially true for children who can usually only see a few ways in which they can link to another child. That link is essential, it is the bridge that can start the friendship.

It is proven that people who gain friends at a young age are generally happier.

Also more successful in life later on.

I mention this because we think it is important within MAC too.

We all know that one of the big goals in MAC is gaining the black belt. This IS a big goal but with friends along the way that goal is worth so much more. Some of those many strands that make up that black belt are the friends you have gained along the way.