Children ought to have satisfying friendships because they otherwise may miss out on opportunities to learn important social skills, develop little faith in their abilities to achieve interpersonal goals, suffer painful feelings of isolation, and become vulnerable to influence by delinquent peers. Factors contributing to children's peer relationship problems include unacceptable social behavior, "differentness" from other children, family problems, and a reputation as a social outcast. Children with relationship problems can be helped through social skills training, interventions focused on related problems, provision of nonthreatening social experiences, and cooperative classroom projects. Adults are urged to give children evident opportunities to share peer-related concerns, show respect for children's unique social needs, and create social options for children without creating pressures. (RH)