Friendships

• Talk with them about what you think makes a good, healthy friendship.
• Give them time and space to explore their feelings.
• Speak to your child’s teacher if your child is struggling to make friends, and often seems unhappy.
• If they’ve had an argument with a friend, encourage them to think about how their friend feels.
• Give them space to sort things out with their friends, rather than stepping in straight away. Allowing them to learn how to manage disagreements is an important life skill.

Good friends will have a positive effect on your teen's self-esteem, their interests and their attitudes, and give them a sense of belonging and a support network to rely on. You can help your child by supporting them to take part in activities they enjoy, as having things in common is one of the best ways to make friends.

Talk to your teen about how a good friend behaves and makes them feel. Encourage them to make friends with people they can trust and be honest with. Help them understand what a bad friend looks like and how they can distance themselves from someone who manipulates, excludes or tries to make them feel bad.

Every child is different and will become interested in relationships, sex and sexuality at different ages. Choosing who to be with should be your young person's choice. It’s important to let them know that if they're confused, they should talk to someone they trust.

As a parent your continued support and guidance while respecting your child’s need for privacy is key. You might feel unsure about how to talk to your child about sex, sexuality and relationships but it’s important to help your child understand what healthy relationships look like and how to keep themselves safe. Visit our relationships and sexual health page for more support.

You will have to get involved if your child tells you about something risky that’s happened, or about some bullying that is having a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing. You might have to speak to the school, because they’ll be used to supporting children with friendship difficulties.

If your child lets you know they are being bullied it’s important to try to stay calm and find out the facts. Visit our supporting your child or teen who is being bullying pages for more support.