Should You Be Your Child’s Friend

Parenting is not an easy journey and most parents will agree it is an ongoing learning process.

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Sometimes you might be confused as a parent whether to be your child’s friend or to be very strict with your child. You might feel if you are friendly with your child your rules might be taken for granted and if you are overly strict your child may withdraw from you and this may leave you confused as to what step to take.

To be an ideal parent you need to balance the two. It is very important to be your child’s friend, being your child’s friend doesn’t imply that you won’t be firm. You can be your child’s friend and yet be firm.

Being your child’s friend it’s very important as this helps you get to know your child better and your child will feel very comfortable to open up to you regardless of what the issue is.

Your child should understand that you’ve got his back regardless of what the issue is, but that doesn’t mean you will not enforce rules to safeguard your child.

You should make your child realize you are his friend but he must follow the laid down rules which is for his own benefit.

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Balancing friendship and firmness in parenting is extremely important otherwise you might lose control of your child.

If you are overly strict as a parent you might end up having a child who behaves as a saint at home and it’s a monster outside the home. As a result of being too strict, the child will not feel free to express himself which might make him hide his true character which might need to be corrected.

This is why some parents are always dumbfounded and in denial when they hear negative reports about their child. They find it difficult to believe it because the report does not reflect the assumed character of their child.

If you are also friendly without being strict , you might end up with a mannerless child. A child that doesn’t listen to you, take your rules for granted and see you as his mate.

Hence, you must ensure you strike a balance between the two. Be friendly with your child, talk and play together, get to know him. Let him feel free to express himself and be his real self but at the same time let the child know that your rules must be followed there is no debate about it , so that at the end of the day you will have a well rounded child.

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You need to also remember that rules are not casted in stone, so whenever it is necessary adjust your rules to suit the situation, don’t be adamant that your rules must be followed when it is obvious it is not the best at the time.

Finally, always assure your child of your love and let it be shown in your action, this will make it easy for your child to follow your rules because your child will know the rules were made out of love for him and not to frustrate him.