Should parents be their kids Friends?

Should parents be friends to their children? ABSOLUTELY!

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Parents
• as
• friends
• peers
• friendship
• relationship
• parenting
• teenagers

[dorotwhy]

You tell it real. What you father said... good stuff. I applaud.

[SintualEvents]

Aww, thank you Dorothy!

[tashaluvsyou]

if we all knew the word to be that yes sure but since you and i know friends usully means...going to parties and trying new things like drinking and smoking..no. that is the level MOST think of the question on. yes if there is a line in the sand sure..but WHERE do you draw the line. momma and i are very close best friends..i am 46 not 12 or 16..different years...different LEVELS of friendship.

[SintualEvents]

It depends on the type of parents that you have really. My parents would have never exposed me to anything inappropriate like drugs or alcohol. My relationship with my parents as a child was one of adventure, arts and music. I think we misunderstand what it means to have an appropriate friendship with underage children. Luckily my parents knew that boundary

[yellowlabrador]

To be friends takes two way traffic. I'm now friendly with quite a few teenagers, but it's not the same as being friends with an adult. You can't share everything with a child. THey need protecting and guidance. My children could always tell me their problems and because I didn't judge but helped them and stood in their corner, we had a good relationship But I couldn't tell them my problems when I felt they wouldn't understand

[SintualEvents]

I agree, friendship does take two way traffic, but every friendship has it's own personal level of appropriate behavior. I would never carry on with my gay friends the way I would carry on with my Christian or Muslim friends. Every friendship has it's own special behavior for those persons involved.

So when Im volunteering for the Girls and Boys club of America, Im all about taking the kids apple picking, shopping, the movies, haunted houses, and Six flags!

[apcwzrd]

Thank you for bringing up the subject. I have been criticized by my ex-wife for being too much of a "friend" to my son - now age 19. I am very close to my son and I want always to be the person he comes to with questions or problems in his life. I believe in boundaries also but setting those boundaries is easier when you have a close and loving relationship with your child. From all the comments here it seems most people agree with you - I certainly do. You have reaffirmed my approach. Thanks!

[EBystrova]

They should be friends because how can you even relate to your kid if you don't even know what they're up to. Its not weird you want to have someone to turn to when you feel you can't trust any of your friends!

[clip380]

i think its better for me and my bro to talk to are parents bout drugs and what happens then ask are friends they don't know what parents growing up in the 60's know

[boricuamom87]

I agree 100%. I am 21 and I have 3 friends for sure. My 14 month old baby boy, my mom, and my dad. Thank you for your thoughts and know that you have lifted me up. Thank you. AMen!

[NycAttentionWhore]

i thought she defined the word "friend" in this video.

[cassandrabadie]

it depends on the child, i have two kids 21 and 23. each are different. you are more like my daughter.

i think people are saying you need peers also ok thats right you need boundaires and some kids need boundaires and rules and others you can something one time, it depends on the kid

sometimes you have to change up your methods

[mazzoan]

I understand children wanting to share their personal problems with their parents but it can't work the other way round. For that IMO they are not friends and can never be friends. If a parent shares a his/her personal life with her children its puts them on a level platform with their kids which will make them unable to uphold any high authority over their kids.

[babyblew11]

i hear you girl

[jjlucido]

I agree 100%!!!!! although my friends don't tell me what I can or not do.

[GFantastic]

Of course they should be friends. I suppose parents have to be sometimes teachers, sometimes police, sometimes nurses etc, but that's in addition to being friends. It's not an either/or thing.