parents

Help. Her son’s friend is a bad influence.

What’s that saying…you can choose  your friends but you can’t choose your family? Well, what when you want to choose your family’s friends? In particular, your child’s friends. Today’s group therapy comes from Christy who is worried and needs advice……

I’ve just got home from my eldest son’s high school orientation, followed by an emotional melt down on the phone to my mother.

My son is 12.5 years old and is a sheep. He has never been the leader, always a follower. He is very attracted to excitement – and that is often associated with the “naughty kids”.

He was sitting with about 8 boys from his high school, they were chatting and laughing, then they all got whiplash from turning their heads so fast when a boy who was expelled from their primary school in year 5 walked in the room. All of their faces lit up, “he” waved hello to them.

This boy I know has been in trouble with the police on many occasions, as has his older brother, they have a younger mother who can’t control them, and from mine (and other parents) observations has pretty much given up. He is physically more mature, has already had multiple girlfriends – some of which are closer to 16 than 12!

Which brings me to my problem, how do I protect my son from the bad influence of this boy (and the others that I don’t know about yet), while still maintaining our relationship, I feel there is little point in a blanket ban on talking to him… that’ll be ignored.

Please help, I know the Mamamia community is full of fantastic advice and I sure need some.