Is It Bad to Have a Best Friend?

Thursday, 17 June 2010 | by Pat's Picks

Having a best friend is up there with the other rites of childhood, like summer camp and riding bikes. But according to the New York Times, some experts claim it’s not healthy for kids to have just one best friend, saying it promotes exclusivity and can lead to bullying. The Times says that the “attitude is a blunt manifestation of a mind-set that has led adults to become ever more involved in children?s social lives in recent years.” They point out that a little playground taunting would’ve gone ignored 10 years ago. Now, a mean text message is cause for an intervention. Other experts say denying children access to one special friend will limit their ability create deep bonds with people.