Relationships

Living with others

We all have to live with other people. Let’s face it, it would terrible if you lived completely alone and had no contact with anyone else. Nobody would like that! The thing is, that sharing spaces with others means that you have to think about how other people feel as well as thinking about what you want. This can be difficult. It’s OK if everyone gets on well but that’s rarely what happens. No matter how close you think your friendships are, there are bound to be moments when you disagree or upset each other, even without meaning to.

Look at your family, is it sunshine and happiness every day? I doubt it. Even the closest and warmest of families have disagreements, whether it’s between parents or brothers and sisters. In some families, arguments happen regularly, but usually they are able to forget about them and forgive each other - families are like that. Friends can be trickier though. If you have ever fallen out with a friend, then you will know how upsetting it can be.

We all have a responsibility to our friends and families to behave in a way that takes care of other peoples’ feelings. That means making sure you don’t say things to upset them or deliberately do things that annoy them. At home, it’s often too easy to become selfish and not care about anyone else, maybe that’s because family members become too used to one other and annoying your brother or sister doesn’t seem like such a big deal. But you should try not to think like that because everyone is happier when no-one is bickering, huffing or being selfish - including you!

Being a good friend at school is also very, very important. Schools are places where children of all types come together to learn and it’s unsurprising that not everyone gets on with each other. That’s why teachers have to work hard to create an environment in which all children can enjoy learning, and this means that everyone has to play their part in creating a happy and respectful atmosphere.

You can contribute to this by being a good friend and classmate. So, be kind to everyone in your class and try to understand them, even if you find it hard to like them. You can’t be expected to like everyone you meet, but you are expected to respect them.

Sometimes it can help you to be a good friend if you think about how lucky you are to have a family that cares for you and a school that encourages you to learn. If you had to experience the problems that some children face in the world you would probably give anything to be back with your family and friends. Here in Northern Ireland, for the most part, we live without poverty, hunger and danger.

For some children in different parts of the world, that isn’t the case. Many millions of children have to cope with hunger, disease and war. UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund which works to build a better world for every child, every day, everywhere. UNICEF provides children with clean water, life-saving food and vaccines, education and protection from violence. So, the next time you find yourself having a tantrum because you didn’t get what you want, remember the children who hardly have anything. Try to be a good member of your family, class and friend group.