Junior & Senior High School - Friends

The need of everyone to have peers with whom to discuss their thoughts, dreams, and plans, seems to be intensified during these years of rapid growth and development. Also, the influence of friends seems to be magnified during this time. The term "peer-pressure" takes on whole new meanings in the life of a teen.

Helping adolescents to make good choices for their friends is a difficult and danger-laden path. Following are some suggestions:

• Foremost, know with whom your child is associating, try to meet their parents.
• Always be aware generally where your teen is and with whom.
• Encourage activities for your teen to help them to meet other adolescents with their same interests. (school clubs, church activities, community activities, sports).
• Don't try to force your child to "be friends" with someone just because you like and approve of them.
• Discuss friendships and activities with your child.

If associations seem to be difficult or dangerous for your teen, discuss this with them, and help them to extricate themselves from the relationship.

« Back