Your baby will express preferences for certain people from an early age, and will express delight when they see them. You might see these preferences as young as 6 weeks. By about 6 months you should definitely see your baby taking a stronger interest in other children.
Friendships usually develop when children are around 4 years old. Building a friendship takes emotional skills, social skills and some self-control. By consistently responding to your wee one in a kind and empathetic way you’ll be developing their ability to understand themselves, and understand and be empathetic towards others. It’s a bit like watering a seed – if you keep on watering it, it’ll eventually grow and blossom!
Here are some tips for helping your baby build friendships in the future: