We all know that friendship and socialization is important. Humans are social creatures, and much of how we interact with and perceive the world is based on the people we choose to have around us. The same goes for our children.
As children get a little older and start branching out socially, it’s a good idea for parents to get to know their child’s friends. Not only can you learn a lot about your child by who they choose to hang out with, but friendships offer the unique ability for a child to learn about who they can trust and builds up their social confidence, both of which are crucial to healthy future friendships and social connections.
Below are some tips about how you can begin to get to know your child’s friends!
Meeting Your Child's Friends:
An important way for parents to get to know their child's friends is by meeting them and talking with them. Some ways you can do that are below!
• Talk with them on the phone
• Meet them at school or neighborhood events
• Meet their parents
• Find out what they and your child do together
• Let your child know that their friends are welcome in your home
Ensuring Your Child Stays Safe With Their Friends:
• Stay Consistent. One way that you can ensure that your child is forming positive and healthy friendships is by staying consistent with rules or boundaries and keeping a close eye on your child’s relationships with their friends, especially when they are at your home.
• Get to Know Other Parents. Talk with your child’s friend’s parents and get to know them as well and discussing guidelines for safe conduct when your child is with their friends and learning about how they do things at their house.
• Communication. Being able to openly communicate with your child and helping them form positive habits can help them see their self-worth and seek out friends who are also confident and comfortable with themselves can make a huge difference in how your child chooses to interact socially with peers.
To learn more about how you can get to know your child’s friends, click here!