The paper presents the role of proper relations within the family environment in a child’s social development and its influence on the quality of future relations with other people. Emphasis is put on the importance of a child’s first relations in its emotional development and the necessity to support a young person on their way to independence as a means of protection against loneliness and desperate attempts to seek social relations through communication technology. The function of affection is fundamental to a person’s development. The theory of affection explains the different forms of human emotional functioning. The author defines four patterns of affection: a trustful, an anxious and avoidant, an anxious and ambivalent, and a disorganised relation. Improper models cause developmental disorders. They influence a person’s entire life, their social skills and interpersonal relations. They result in problems with coming into one’s own, finding one’s identity, establishing proper relationships with one’s peers which constitute a great value for a young person. Improper attitudes of adults frequently block the development of autonomy and proper relationships of teenagers. The lack of relations with peers leads to anxiety and fear of loneliness, incapability of fulfilling the need to belong to a group initiates defensive mechanisms. For some they may lead to looking for contacts on the internet. The computer screen serves as a shield, it relieves one of the feeling of loneliness, leads to feeling of well-being. With its role as a substitute of peer relations in the real world, the internet may be a form of spending leisure time, a source of topics for discussion and games, a facilitator of identification with a peer group and its values, and even a plain for the development of individual identity. Media not only create social and educational chances, but they are also a source of dangers and addictions. The effects of internet addiction may take on various forms. The so-called paradox of the internet needs to be mentioned. Although the internet is used to communicate with others, its use leads to a weakening of the relations with one’s environment and increasing the feeling of loneliness. In order to support young people in establishing responsible and satisfying relations they should be provided with help in acquiring social skills which are the basic source of relations of affection and proper upbringing styles.