To be friends or not to be friends?

This question often arises:Whether a parent should be achild’s friend. Every parent has different methods of parenting, as no family setup is the same. However, what I feel is, there’s a big difference between being a parent and a friend.

- Riddhima Kapoor Sahni

When I say difference, what I mean is you don’t want your child to forget the boundary that exists between a parent and a friend. The child shouldn’t take you for granted if s/he thinks you are very ‘friendly’ and get away with unacceptable behaviour.

But yes, that doesn’t mean that you need to be an authoritative or strict parent. It’s a tricky line that every parent needs to draw. You need to make your child trust you so that s/he can confide in you.

I feel a striking a balance is extremely important. Today, every child needs to feel safe in his/her circle, which includes family as well. The parent must make the child feel safe and make the child trust you. You must give the child the freedom to confide in you and not feel scared to share his/her feelings.

Being a parent of a preteen I know while growing up they tend to shy away from speaking their mind. They want to be left alone. They want to share secrets with their friends, but not tell you. That’s why you need to assure the child that s/he can share their feelings and thoughts.