Mom’s Homeroom (Scholastic)

Are ‘Best Friends’ Dangerous?

By Martha Brockenbrough

…Sometimes, though, parents do need to intervene a bit. This is where you keep your ears open when other kids come over, Levine advises. "In most circumstances, if something seems a bit worrisome, the best approach is to wait until you’re alone with your child to open a dialogue about what happened, how your child feels, and what techniques may be helpful for your child to resolve the problem on his or her own," she says.

Parents can also remind kids that there’s no such thing as a perfect relationship. Some problems you can work out. But sometimes, friendships end – a worthwhile, if painful, lesson for kids to learn.

The parents’ role is to provide a sounding board to help their kids work out their problems as independently as they can – something that depends on their age and maturity, Levine says.

In doing this, you can support them as they learn some of the most important things they’ll ever learn – as Levine puts it, "the skills of give and take and [figuring] out what it means to be a loyal, trustworthy and sensitive friend."

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