Choosing Your Circle

Have you ever started liking a new game or snack just because your best friend loves it? Or maybe you started using a word they always say. It happens to everyone. The people you spend time with can change you in small ways without you even noticing.

Think of your friends like colors of paint. When you mix them together, you get a new color. The people you hang out with the most mix their habits and ideas with yours. This is called social influence, which is just a fancy way of saying your friends have an effect on you.This isn't magic, it's just how our brains work. We learn by watching others. If your closest friends are kind, you will likely become kinder. If they love to read, you might start reading more too. Researchers found that kids whose friends enjoy reading are more likely to enjoy it themselves.This doesn't mean you need to stop being friends with anyone. It just means it’s smart to be aware of this friend power. You can choose to spend a little more time with people who help you be the person you want to be.

Dev, who is 11, loved playing video games with his best friends, Mateo and Ryan. It was all they did after school. But Dev noticed he wasn't reading his favorite comic books anymore, and he was always tired. He didn't want to stop gaming with his friends, but he missed his other hobbies. So, Dev made a plan. He decided to join the after-school basketball club on Tuesdays. There, he met Kenji, who loved sports. On Thursdays, he started going to the library with Sofia to work on a school project. He still played video games with Mateo and Ryan on the weekend. He didn't lose his old friends; he just added new ones. Dev realized that different friends could bring out different, fun parts of himself.