Parents need to share their wisdom when teaching kids about friendliness.

Most parents aim to raise children who are kind-hearted, compassionate, and loyal to their friends.

Teaching children about friendliness is more important than ever in today’s society.

Children develop friends in person and online.

While practising friendliness is essential, it doesn’t mean that everyone you meet becomes your friend.

Friendliness requires courtesy and respect shown for treating people.

However, it’s important to understand the distinction between making friends and simply being friendly.

Throughout all the years of your child’s growth and development, you need to discuss the concept of friends and friendliness.

As your child grows into a young adult, they discover feelings and thoughts they may not have previously had.

During this time of their life, it’s super important to continue to have conversations about the difference between friends and friendliness.

Because your child may be open and honest, they may assume that others they meet are also.

Recently, when reading the news, I read about a teenage boy who committed suicide because he thought he was developing a relationship with a young adolescent girl.

They exchanged personal, private photos.

Then the teenager discovered he wasn’t speaking to the person he thought he was.

Money was demanded, and the threat to share his pictures with his family & friends if he didn’t pay up.

Let your child know that some people pretend to be someone they aren’t.

It will only be more challenging to tell because of AI (Artificial Intelligence).

Teach your child to be cautious and to let you know if someone wants to know about personal information or asks for photos of them that they wouldn’t want the world to see.

While your son or daughter is in their teenage years, it’s hard to remember that they are still growing and developing emotionally and intellectually because, physically, they may already be acting like young adults.

Children have external influences every day in and day out, and every child wants to connect.

Ensure your child connects with you and that your connection to your child is better than the drug dealer down the road or the online exploiter.

Keep reminding your child about how you see these positive character traits in them so that they, too, see these traits in themselves and know they can come to you to tell you anything at any time.