According to a survey by PsychCentral, the average American adult has between 3 and 5 close friends. Of those close friends, 76 percent of young adults have had at least one friend that they’ve known since childhood, whereas 60 percent of seniors can say the same.
Do you have a friend (or more than one) that you’ve known since childhood? Please tell us in today’s reader poll. After you vote, please leave a comment and tell us how long you’ve been friends with that person. We’re looking forward to reading those comments. Thanks!
At 75 the good ones have passed on.
Agree, At 78 there is only one good friend left.
No, military moves precluded long term friendships .
Met my wife when we were 12, does that count?
I voted no since I do have a couple that I went to school with I see occasionally, but don’t really consider them ‘friends’. Most of my friends had either moved away or passed away.
Best friends for 66 years and counting, our Mom’s were best friends as well. We don’t see each other as often as we’d like, but when we get together it’s like no time has passed. We spent a fantastic 4 months this past winter in Arizona together with our spouses.
I’m 76 years old. I’ve known and have kept in close contact with one I met in the 3rd grade (1955). Have several high school friends (since 1965) that I’m still in regular contact with. Talk a lot on the phone, but after all these years – hard to keep up one-on-one visits as we’ve all scattered all over the country (and 2 are residing out of the country). Counting them all up, I’d say I have 8 friends that would fit into these categories.
after 20 years in the Navy I have several great (Navy) friends that I have stayed in touch with for over 30 years. But I lost contact with school and childhood friends due to multiple duty station and deployment assignments while enjoying my Navy career……
My childhood friends are dead. Smoking and motorcycle wreck.
Grade school through High School and still stay in touch. We were HS trouble-makers. Stayed just barely within the rules. Mischievous but not destructive. We both could have graduated early (and started college early), but parents made us stay in HS – probably to the dismay of our teachers.
Over the years I have lost touch with many who have moved away and the rest have passed away. I have made contact with a few through social media but after so many years it’s just not the same. I do have friends that I’ve known for 30 years or so but not since childhood.
We moved 17 times in 8 years of school, only when I was in the last semester of 8th grade did we finally quit moving. Then 4 years later I joined the USMC for 7 years and 7 months. So I grew up moving around.
I was a Navy Brat: 13 different schools, 4 high schools. I still know some of the people from some of those schools, but they’re more acquaintances than “friends”. Most of the people that knew me “way back when” are just surprised to find that I’m not serving life in prison.
I have/had several such friends. Some of them have passed away. All our parents were friends before they were married, so I don’t remember life without them. In fact, when I was a little kid, I thought that we were cousins and called their parents aunt and uncle. We are scattered across the country now so we don’t get to see each other very often. I really miss that.
I have remained in contact with friends I have made throughout my life, from grade school, high school, neighborhoods, jobs, and churches I have attended. It seems I have one from each period, and place in my life. And although our lives have taken different paths, our friendship bonds allow us to look past our differences. I will have been married to my best friend for 44 years this coming Friday (August 4th). I guess I make friends for life!
Happy almost-Anniversary, Sven! Wishing you and your wife many more healthy and happy anniversaries.🤞👍 Have a great day, and week. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I don’t have but it’s heart warming to see over 50% do!
Me no. My husband, at 79, several. Grew up in a small town.
Most of my childhood friends are no longer alive. My wife has several.
Like others, being a military brat, we moved way to often to make any “long time friendships” when I was young. I do have a couple from 9th grade on, and some from high school, from the time Dad retired and we stayed put. 😉
Not since childhood but 2 very close friends since sophomore year of high school. Still see each other every few years in spite of living far apart. 55 years since graduation!
62 years and counting, we became best friends at 14 and still yak on the phone at least once a week and visit about 4 times a year….live 400 miles apart now.
Three of us still in contact even I moving around 20 years serving in the military. Wrote a lot as there was not internet way back when or called once a month as the cost across the pond was expensive. Then the late 80s with the beginning of internet we were connected more. Today it’s both (phone or internet) the writing has drifted away. It’s nice to talk and remember some of the old times.
Sadly, no
Had two but both have now passed away.
One, my mom babysat while pregnant with me. We are 6 months apart. Two, moved to our town in the 4th grade. Our moms became BFs and so did we.
My friend and I have been best friends since we were 6 (we’re going on 72). We have the same first name and middle and last name initials. Our parents never let us be in the same elementary school classes, probably for good reason. We married and lived in different states but for the last 35 years we have both been in Iowa and I am lucky to see her frequently. Our children have known each other since they were babies.
yes, my wife. we have known each other 49 years and married 37 years
Just one left alive, but we’ve moved to different circles for years. I do know if he called me or v.s. we would get along swell.
The next who got nailed last July by the plague was a friend of both of us. He got the J&J shot but had heart issues. 62 some years, it’s getting lonely out here…