Establishing Strong Relationships

Parents, grandparents and educators are always helping children to learn how to establish strong interpersonal relationships, regardless if they are with family, friends, acquaintances, or schoolmates.

Learning the skills of making and keeping friends will help a child long into adulthood when they will add romantic relationships. A fun activity to do as a family is to reflect on famous people's views on relationships. Everyone is always interested in what other people think!

Here's how you can do it: Distribute the quotes below to family members and have them read the quote and tell what it means to them. Then have a lively discussion. You may even want to create your own quotes!

This can be extended by asking your children to research all the famous people in the quotes and report back to the family.

"Relationships are based on 4 principles: respect, understanding, acceptance and appreciation." - Mahatma Gandhi

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - Leo Buscalia

"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." - Marcel Proust

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." - Dale Carnegie

"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend." - Albert Camus

This activity is a great way to have a dialogue about what it takes to establish quality relationships with others. It is also a wonderful time for children to talk openly about relationship issues they may be having.