How to Meet a Teen's Friends
Adolescents undergo a common transition away from parents and immediate family toward other relationships. Although your teenager̵7;s friends will be an important part of his daily social life, your responsibilities for supervision and monitoring don̵7;t end here. By meeting and getting to know your teenager̵7;s friends, you maintain valuable involvement with your youngster, which helps you stay close with him.
Instructions
Connect with your teenager every day to catch up and learn about her activities. Daily connection doesn't have to be involved or time-consuming. Spend approximately 15 minutes each day focusing on your teen, asking questions and listening to her answers, advises the Ohio State University Extension. In the course of these daily discussions, you will probably hear mention of specific friends who are important to your teen. Make your home comfortable and inviting for teenagers. A den or family room with music, video games, a pool table and comfortable furniture can become a favorite hangout for adolescents. Stock the kitchen with plenty of food to feed them when they get hungry. Tell your teen he can invite his friends over to hang out, play games, listen to music and eat. Ask your teen to introduce you to her friends so you can get to know them. By presenting this desire in a nonthreatening and supportive manner, your teenager will likely feel more comfortable having you meet her friends. Involve yourself in your teen̵7;s school and extracurricular activities to create opportunities for meeting other parents and your teenager̵7;s friends. Attend sporting events and concerts. Volunteer to help with school activities. Act in a friendly manner as you interact with others and try to make contact with your teen̵7;s friends. Make a policy about meeting Internet friends, if your teen meets people online. Explain Internet safety issues to your youngster so she understands the dangers. Teens often encounter strangers in chat rooms or on social media websites. Because people online could hide their identities and create false personas in an attempt to attract or entice young people, your teen should never make plans to meet someone she met online without involving you. When your teen wants to make plans to meet someone in person, a parent must accompany her to meet the friend in a public place. Although this might embarrass her, safety demands prudence when meeting strangers from online connections to avoid crimes and injury. Urge your youngster to always come to you for support and advice if someone makes advances online.