this is for you teenagers.  can a parent be a friend and a parent at the same time?
340011
PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE:\nMiss.T,I dont think its such a great idea 2 be friends with your daughter because after awhile,they will look at you only as their friend and not as their parent.Im 18 years old & I thank my mother every chance I get because I graduated from high school when I was 16 without her trying to be my friend,although she most definently is'nt my enemy.Yeah my mother was a good friend of mine,but she knew when and where the limits were...she knew she had 2 be a mother 85% of the time with me;and a friend 15% of the time.Put it this way...if you need your bills to be paid and you cant call on your friend(your daughter),then you shouldnt try 2 hard to please her as a friend as much as a mother.If your daughter has a good head on her shoulder,then she will appreciate how good you are trying to be with her;whether you want to be her friend or not.She will thank u in the future if you be more of a mother to her than a friend;because trust me...Im sure she has enough people trying to be her friend....Love Always;misslady2205
214670
If this oath is for your own child or children, you would be better off talking with the child.  You would be surprised at how much children understand about what they “should be” doing.\nThe problem with setting up such an oath with out their participation is that you might draw attention to areas where there is currently no problem.\n\nYou might also consider (to be done at the same time) is an oath that the parent(s) could return.  This way the child does not feel like they are being made to just obey and that the relationship is really a sharing.  This is especially true for younger children who do not understand how much their parents do for them (laundry, food preparation, transportation, etc.)\n\nThe hardest task that any parent has is to teach a child self-discipline.
799116
I still have a best friend and I am 33.  We met while doing PTA at school when our kids were younger.  We talk if not every day then every other day.  We are also in a couples poker group together with our spouses and our other "best" friends.  We jump from house to house once a month for this.  Sometimes we go shopping....our families go on a mini vacation together in the summers..... sometimes just the adults take a weekend.... we go to football games together......our kids all get along great and stick together.  I'd be lost without them!!!! (And I even have a big extended family on top of this - love this life!)
906781
yes and think it can be a great extension to the friendship as long as good boundaries are set before hand, this can work out really good and has for me a couple times over... do you hear these close minded people...( It can be a very good thing if both people are mature enough to handle it.)
906450
It's hard to keep friends that are childless after you have one.  I can say this for experience.  After my son was born, me and my best friend didn't hang anymore.  Now if it is a true friend then you can count that you will always be there for eachother no matter what.  There are birthday parties, holidays and just days that you can say let's go to the park.  Only because a child is there it doesn't mean that you can't communicate, I think you can actually become better friends because there are more things that you go through when you are a mother, we usually need someone to talk to.  We need to relieve our stress after a stressfull day, I honestly wish I could have my friend still call me.  I invite her shopping but now she has new friends.  So I guess she wasn't a true friend.  I hope this answeres your question.
471717
you could try babysitting your parents friends kids but you might have to sit through a long responsibility speech from your parents
407906
There are many ways that can be arranged. I can probably be of help there. (I live in Japan and have good ties in the local community). \n\nPlease go ahead and contact me and let me know what age teenager you want to correspond with (13-19 is quite varied after all.)
528570
It's possible, but the relationship shouldn't be too serious.  Maybe start with "group dates" with friends or just hang out together.  Just be sure your parents okay it before you get yourself in a relationship.
510750
What you want is kinda irrelevant.  It is your parent's choice and I give them credit for trying to keep you out of trouble.  You may not believe it, but parents often do know best.  Don't forget, they were teenagers too and remember what it was like.  I know it is tough to be separated from the friends you've made, but you can make new friends and possibly better ones. You can also still keep in touch with them.  You may end up thanking your parents for their choice in schools in a few years.   Sorry for the negative comments, and good luck in your new school.
164262
Convieniently sneek one of the pictures and leave it where the father can find it.\n\nNo..that would be wrong. \n\nAll you can do is listen. A really good friend is a listening friend. If she actually starts making plans to follow through, then a really good friend is one who protects a friend from themselves. Tell the parents yourself.
729873
That sounds like a lot of WORK and responsibility for your parents. Maybe there is a good reason why your friend's parents won't allow it either. The only thing I can say is to remove as much of the burden from your parents. YOU clean the house, YOU prepare the food, YOU police your friends and make sure they follow your parents' rules and YOU clean up afterwords -- if you demonstrate to your parents that you can do all that and follow through you might have a chance.
544304
You can discipline someone and love them at the same time.  Parents do it all the time.
506613
Because they are friends and there is a different in friends and parents. I would hope a true friend would never judge us and sometimes we are scared parents will tell us how stupid it is.......
265482
No. However, be responsible parents and actually get along and share the childcare properly. Make sure each decision is based not on how YOU feel but what is BEST for YOUR children. Show your children that although mom and dad were honest enough to say they shouldn't make each other miserable, they share a deep love for their children and put aside personal feelings when necessary for the good of the kids. You don't have to live together to be loving caring parents. You only have to think about them first.
435960
Develop a friendly relationship. If you are a parents don’t react in front of your children. If you are children be polite and ask for explanation if your idea or thoughts don’t match with your parents.\n\nIf two people start walking form two side of a road at some point they will meet. This parents and children relationship is a mutual factor. As a parent if you can develop a friendly relation so that your children know you are the person they can go to and as a children you have to know no matter what happen your parents will be always there for you.
38792
There are times were parents cant understand there kids. Kids like to talk and have a good realishionship and that is perfectly normal but at the same time they want to do stuff on their own and they want you to trust them. Im a 16 year old femail and there are times when i just want my space and be left alone and thats normal but i always hang out with my family so let you kid or kids have some alone time for thereselves once in a while and let them have fun!
19400
I don't think so.  I think you should have closure, but not talking to the people that were supposed to protect you the most and didn't is not out of line.  It probably hurts not to have supportive parents and I wouldn't talk to mine.  It would be like saying that what they did was ok.