When to Intervene in a Child's Friendship

Friendship for a teenager aged 12-15 becomes one of the most important parts of his life. During this period, deep emotional connections begin to form, and often friends become more important than parents. It is important for a teenager to feel support and understanding from their peers, but at the same time, it is worth realizing when adult intervention may be necessary.

From the age of 12, a child begins to need sincere relationships, when he is ready to share secrets and open up to friends. It is at this age that the perception of friendship is formed, and the one who listens and understands becomes a true friend. This can be even more important than relationships with parents. But at the same time, jealousy appears: teenagers begin to become very attached to their friends and worry about changes in relationships. For example, when a best friend moves to a desk with a new person, this can be perceived as a tragedy.

However, it is worth understanding that during this period, a teenager learns to live in society and interact with people, and any mistakes, even quarrels with friends, become important lessons. Sometimes, parental intervention comes down to the need to explain to the child that friendship requires effort and that you can always try to improve the relationship if something goes wrong. For example, a mother can suggest how to apologize to a friend if a conflict occurs, and thus help the child realize the importance of mutual efforts in friendship.

On the other hand, it is important to understand that adults should not always interfere in a teenager's friendships. Sometimes you need to give them the opportunity to independently experience disappointments and breakups in relationships, because this is an integral part of growing up. Psychologists recommend that parents support a teenager in his search for friendship, and not force him to change his environment at his own discretion.

However, parents should be aware of the company their child communicates with. Sometimes teenagers can find themselves surrounded by people who behave antisocially, for example, skip classes or drink alcohol. In such cases, it is important for parents to notice signs of dangerous behavior in time and try to intervene to avoid unwanted consequences. If the situation gets out of control, it is worth considering changing schools or places of residence to protect the child.

In general, teenagers begin to realize that friendship is not just communication for fun, but deep relationships based on trust and respect. Parents should help their child understand this and teach him to draw the right conclusions from communication with friends. It is also important to convey to the teenager that true friendship does not always coincide with fashion trends, and that in relationships with loved ones, not only common interests are important, but also mutual support.