4-1 Discussion: Peer Relationships
Relationships with our peers are important at every stage of our development. As we move
from one stage of life to the next, the relationships we develop with others are an important part of
how we relate to other people and how we develop as people.
Infants are discovering the environment around them for the first time and are constantly
learning new things. An infant is completely dependent on his or her parents or caregivers, making the
relationship the child develops with his or her parents or caregivers the most important relationship a
child will develop. This relationship between a child and his or her parents or caregivers will provide the
foundation for which that child is able to develop peer relationships in childhood and adolescence as
well as romantic relationships later in adulthood. This is because of the style of attachment (secure or
insecure) that the child develops as a result of the relationship formed with his or her parents or
caregivers. Children who develop insecure attachment styles may exhibit poor social skills, lower self-
esteem, issues in trusting others, miscommunication; all of which will cause issues in their relationships
later in life. On the other hand, children who develop a secure attachment style may exhibit higher self-
esteem, the ability to be easily comforted, are able to trust others, etc. Additionally, it is of equal
importance for infants to have experiences of strong interactions such as reading, hand gestures,
communication, etc. with their parents or caregivers as it will aid in the learning of new things as well as
