When Your Teen’s BFF Makes You Say OMG
by Sherri Kuhn
June 15, 2012
Everyone wants their teens to have friends and a fun social life. What happens when the friend your daughter wants to spend the most time with isn’t someone you like at all? How can you keep the peace and keep your mouth shut when you can’t stand her BFF? Keep reading for tips — and when you should step in and say something.
When your children are young, you maintain complete control over their social life. The friends you choose for them to invite for playdates or to birthday parties may not be the same friends your child would choose on her own. Often we choose friends for our young children based on nothing more than the fact that we like to chat with their mom…
"Teens are struggling to become independent so they usually resent being lectured to by adults (even if you are providing well-intended advice)," says Irene S. Levine, Ph.D., psychologist and professor of psychiatry at the NYU School of Medicine. "To keep the lines of communication open, resist the temptation to tell her exactly what to do or whom she should befriend. Instead, listen to what she has to say, reflect her feelings back to her, and offer examples of situations that happened to you or someone you know."
Read more tips on handling a "bad friend."
Category: KEEPING FRIENDS
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