Are you a Parent or are you their BEST Friend?

July 17, 2019

Can we be both to our children?

There are so many people who believe so!

As a parent, you should be your child’s friend; but, can you be their “BEST” friend?  Should you be?

At the very heart of this question is the quote mentioned above- and in my opinion to raise your children well you cannot be their BEST FRIEND.  You can be close friends.  To be a good kid entails us, as parents, TO BE PARENTS.  How can we correct our child if we are their best friend?  How can we teach, encourage, feed, advice, “tell”, scold or do so many other things which, as a parent, you can do but as a best friend you cannot or may not be able to?

Practically speaking, even between friends it's difficult (though not impossible), to correct your best friend– however, as a parent you don’t have that worry.

However, if you are your child’s best friend & vice-versa, won’t you spoil them to maintain that friendship level?  Would you be able to say something they are not prepared to hear?  Won’t you ‘let things ride’, which actually should have been corrected? 

Can you actually raise your child to be a good kid yet maintain a “best friend” relationship?

I personally think NOT! ... what are your views?

(Image sources- https://www.ophosting.club/parent-child-friendship-quotes.html &  https://spanishforfun.com/parent-or-friend/)