Being friends with your kids is trickier than it seems.

- Celia San Miguel

WHILE IT MAY BE TEMPTING to think that becoming your children's BFF will strengthen communication, blurring the line between parent and friend can threaten your stance as a role model and diminish your ability to exert control over your kids' behavior. Still need convincing? Read these five reasons why mom-as-bestie isn't advisable.

Laws of Power

Every relationship involves a power dynamic. “A friendship is a horizontal relationship, where two people are equals and there’s a sharing of information,” explains Martha Mendez-Baldwin, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Manhattan College in New York City. “In contrast, a parent-and-child dynamic involves a vertical relationship, with one person having more power, experience, and knowledge.” To forge a friendship with your kid, the distribution of power has to shift, limiting your ability to act as an authority figure.

Rules of Engagement

"Kids need guidelines and structure—that’s what teaches them important life lessons about accountability, discipline, and responsibility,” says Mendez-Baldwin. from setting consistent bedtimes and curfews to assigning chores, parents must enforce behavioral guidelines that reflect the family’s values and encourage children to apply the principles they’ve learned to their own lives. It’s tough to act as an enforcer when you’re trying to be a friend.

Subliminal Messages

Permissive