(Proverbs 17:17; Proverbs 27:17)
The Situation: Children ask each other, “Will you be my friend?” Most kids are desperate to “belong.” They are afraid of being excluded and want to fit in with their peers. But many children lack the ability to distinguish good friends from bad. They fall prey to those who do not reflect Christian values.
The Solution: God created people to enjoy a variety of relationships. The first step to having good friends is being a good friend. King Solomon summed up friendship in one sentence: “A friend loves at all times” (Proverbs17:17). Teach a child to love, and he or she will develop solid, healthy
friendships.
What You Can Do: Help your child search for good friends, just as he or she would seek valuable treasure. Discuss each phrase of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 together, substituting the word “friends” for “love.” Explain that friendships take time to grow strong. Pray for your child, asking God to make him or her a
good friend—and to provide many good, lasting friendships.
Article from Disciple Blog
We are so very particular on our kids' friends. Finding friends who have the same values and morals is becoming more and more difficult. As a result, our children are seeing what it truly means to be "set apart" from the world. It's been a wonderful blessing that our older ones are now CHOOSING their friends based on the person's convictions.
When they are young, we guide them to friends of like values and morals. As they get older we discuss with them the importance of the quality of their friends vs the quantity of friends.