CHOOSING FRIENDS Friendships are very important to kids, and they typically spend more and more time with friends. Parents need to know who their kids are spending time with and what they are doing on a daily basis. You can also encourage your son or daughter to have healthy friendships. Talk with your child about the true meaning of friendship. You can also encourage your son and daughter to have healthy friendships and avoid high risk situations by: • Monitoring social activities and supervise parties • Including friends you disapprove of in family activities to get to know the friend and share your family values. Don’t ban a friend. • Encouraging your child to participate in activities where they can meet friends with appropriate values. • Discussing ways your son or daughter can resist peer pressure.
TIP: USE A CODE WORD FOR SAFETY Kids find it hard to resist peer pressure, especially in a group. They may be too young to jump in a car and drive away from risky situations that include alcohol, so prepare them with an emergency code-word. Choose and practice a code word that your son or daughter can text you or phone you to get a ride home, no questions asked.
Helping Kids Make Good Choices // Choosing Friends
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