Handling Your Child’s Choice in Friends
January 13th, 2006 (Parenting)
Do you find yourself displeased with virtually any of your child’s choice in friends? Don’t worry, your not alone, and it is perfectly normal to feel that way. We want to protect our kids by keeping them out of harms way from others that can hurt them, especially other children.
It is just too easy to say “Sorry little Adam, I do not trust that other boy you are hanging out with”. Unfortunately this practice is a bad parental habit that must be stopped and handled in a more positive manner. Below are a few tips to help:
1. Allow your children to choose his or her own friends. Give them the chance to learn different experiences. Besides they will do it anyway when you are not looking.
2. If your child chooses a friend that you dot like, try inviting that child into your home and hope that the love and values that you practice rubs off on him. Not all bad kids remain that way. You may make a difference.
3. If you fear that your kid’s friend is a negative influence on him, then try focusing more on being a positive influence on your child and his friend. Only banning your child’s friends will hurt your communication in the future.