Spotting The Difference Between Cliques and Friends

Middle and high school students build closer ties and seek purpose. There are more cliques and bullying as everyone tries to find their place in the world. To help you out in spotting the difference between cliques and friends, this article will help you.

In order to distinguish between close friends and a clique, it is necessary to know the difference between the two. Here’s all you need to know about cliques, from the dangers and consequences they pose to how to keep your child from joining one and how to deal with it if they do..

What Is the Definition of a Clique?

Friendships are formed organically when two people share similar interests. It’s just as natural for football players to hang out with each other as it is for mathematicians. Whether it’s a chess club, a chess club, an art club, or a band, students can join groups based on their interests. Because they share a common passion, children typically feel supported and welcomed.

However, a clique can sometimes form among a group of friends. Those who belong to a clique tend to keep to themselves and do not readily allow others to join them in their activities and social gatherings.

Outsiders are usually made aware that not just anybody can join and be a part of these organizations by the youngsters who belong to them. Cliques are often characterized by a desire to retain their own level of notoriety or social standing.

They achieve this exclusivity by making the outsiders feel as if they are less important than the insiders. People in cliques, on the other hand, are known for utilizing their perceived power to harm or bully other people. These people intentionally exclude and ostracize others.

Indications of a Clique

  • An exclusive group of individuals.
  • Focus on your social standing, your popularity, or your rise up the social ranks.
  • Become ostracized from others.
  • Use their position of authority to harm or humiliate others.
  • Try to “better” others by insulting them.
  • Restrict the group’s members from interacting with those outside of the group.
  • As a member of the organization, you’ll face a lot of demands or rules.
  • Rumors or gossip about others.
  • Have members who are overbearing or aggressive.

It’s possible that your child is a part of a clique if they talk about a specific group of friends frequently, prefer to spend time with that group of friends, or have a name for the group of friends they belong to.

There are dangers to forming cliques.

Cliques are generally associated with the school’s most popular students, but this isn’t always the case. But there are cliques at every social level. There are times when the most powerful and harmful cliques are those that no one knows about.

To the uninitiated, the group may appear to be a smattering of friends having a good time. However, a deeper look reveals that toxic friendships and peer pressure taint them. Here are a few instances in which cliques can affect your child.

Their Social Circle is Restricted.

Problems emerge when a group of friends does not allow others to join or hang out with them. It’s also common in cliques to discourage members from making friends outside their own group. A member of the group is required to exclusively develop friendships with other members of that same group in order to be a part of it.

Once an individual in the group deviates from the norm, they are rapidly shunned. Because your youngster isn’t meeting new people or growing their social circle, excessive togetherness can be damaging.

Prevents The Discovery Of A Child’s True Identity.

Cliques can have a negative impact on your child’s self-esteem and self-discovery. Consistently hanging out with the same group of youngsters can be soothing for your child at first but lead to troubles in the long run.

As a parent, it’s important to keep an eye out for signs that your child is becoming more anxious or hesitant. This might cause your child’s self-esteem to suffer, as well as their ability to distinguish between what they like and don’t like as an individual. Instead, they may discover that they simply blend in with the rest of the crowd. As the urge to fit in grows, they may even have moral dilemmas to contend with.

Real Friendships Aren’t There.

There is a minimal prospect of meaningful friendships forming in a clique of teenagers. Getting to know someone in a group might be difficult since group members are more concerned with keeping their place in the group than getting to know new people.

For example, they might obsess on who has a grudge against whom or simply who was the one to invite who to the most recent get-together. As a result, young people in cliques are typically too preoccupied with the group’s dynamics to openly express their own identities. Enforcing group regulations as well as making everyone happy is their primary focus.

In order to avoid becoming a clique, here are some tips.

One strategy to keep your child out of a clique is to make sure they have good relationships with other people. Talk to them about the characteristics of unhealthy connections and how to tell the difference between a real friend and a phony one. Also, emphasize the need of expressing one’s individuality. A true friend accepts them as they are and does not put any pressure on them to change.

Make sure you’re not encouraging cliques by modeling good friendships. You might be tempted to try to pair your child with the “right” kids. The “correct” classrooms, sports teams, and peer groups aren’t necessarily the ones you want to be a part of. To avoid this, try to take a less hands-on approach.

Allow your children to make their own choices about friends and hobbies. In the event that you push for “proper” friendships, kids may be tempted to care too much about their popularity and end up doing virtually everything to fit in.

A young person’s social life would be incomplete without strong bonds of friendship. As a result, parents must help their children cultivate friendships. Encourage your youngster to invite a friend or two to spend some time with them.

Apart from fostering a sense of belonging and community in your teen, strong social ties can assist guard against bullying. Remember that bullies are more likely to target socially isolated teenagers, but they are less likely to target a teen with a large social network.

Meaningful articles you might like: Guiding Kids In Coping With Cliques, People-Pleasing And Bullying What You Can Do About It, Ways to Break Into Playground Squabbles