Visit any junior high or high school and you will experience the power of influence.
Visit
any
junior
high
or
high
school
and
you
will
experience
the
power
of
influence
.
Clothing, hairstyles, attitudes and even the language are all gained by some amount of influence, whether it is from commercials, fashion, trends, celebrities or music.
Clothing
,
hairstyles
,
attitudes
and
even
the
language
are
all
gained
by
some
amount
of
influence
,
whether
it
is
from
commercials
,
fashion
,
trends
,
celebrities
or
music
.
Teens and preteen children are influenced by these various factors.
Teens
and
preteen
children
are
influenced
by
these
various
factors
.
However, a child's friends are the No.
However
,
a
child
's
friends
are
the
No
.
1 influence.
1
influence
.
Before you think your children's friends could never lead one another astray, think again.
Before
you
think
your
children
's
friends
could
never
lead
one
another
astray
,
think
again
.
A child may experience an event that has caused overwhelming stress or may have problems at home or school, which causes negative behavior.
A
child
may
experience
an
event
that
has
caused
overwhelming
stress
or
may
have
problems
at
home
or
school
,
which
causes
negative
behavior
.
Negative influences of a child's friends can come without warning.
Negative
influences
of
a
child
's
friends
can
come
without
warning
.
"Parents who ask their children where they are going, who they are going with and request a meeting with their children's friends and the friends' parents have already taken the first step," says Mara Berkley, family therapist and professor at Bristol University in Rhode Island.
``
Parents
who
ask
their
children
where
they
are
going
,
who
they
are
going
with
and
request
a
meeting
with
their
children
's
friends
and
the
friends
'
parents
have
already
taken
the
first
step
,
''
says
Mara
Berkley
,
family
therapist
and
professor
at
Bristol
University
in
Rhode
Island
.
Lynn Rexroat of Chillicothe, Illinois, uses this method to keep tabs on her children.
Lynn
Rexroat
of
Chillicothe
,
Illinois
,
uses
this
method
to
keep
tabs
on
her
children
.
"My oldest son knows that in order for him to go anywhere with a friend, especially one I haven't met before, I have to speak with that friend's parent to make sure the arrangements are agreeable with us both," she says.
``
My
oldest
son
knows
that
in
order
for
him
to
go
anywhere
with
a
friend
,
especially
one
I
have
n't
met
before
,
I
have
to
speak
with
that
friend
's
parent
to
make
sure
the
arrangements
are
agreeable
with
us
both
,
''
she
says
.
"I don't interrogate them by asking about their private life.
``
I
do
n't
interrogate
them
by
asking
about
their
private
life
.
I just want to know that the parents of the other child know what the boys are planning to do.
I
just
want
to
know
that
the
parents
of
the
other
child
know
what
the
boys
are
planning
to
do
.
I feel that by my wanting to know I am protecting my son."
I
feel
that
by
my
wanting
to
know
I
am
protecting
my
son
.
''
When a parent suspects that their child is hanging out with "the wrong crowd", the last thing on their mind should be discipline.
When
a
parent
suspects
that
their
child
is
hanging
out
with
``
the
wrong
crowd
''
,
the
last
thing
on
their
mind
should
be
discipline
.
Instead, Berkley says a parent should be more interested in finding out the reasons behind the behaviors and the child's choice to keep company with these types of friends.
Instead
,
Berkley
says
a
parent
should
be
more
interested
in
finding
out
the
reasons
behind
the
behaviors
and
the
child
's
choice
to
keep
company
with
these
types
of
friends
.
Visit any junior high or high school and you will experience the power of influence. Clothing, hairstyles, attitudes and even the language are all gained by some amount of influence, whether it is from commercials, fashion, trends, celebrities or music. Teens and preteen children are influenced by these various factors. However, a child's friends are the No. 1 influence.  Before you think your children's friends could never lead one another astray, think again. A child may experience an event that has caused overwhelming stress or may have problems at home or school, which causes negative behavior. Negative influences of a child's friends can come without warning.  "Parents who ask their children where they are going, who they are going with and request a meeting with their children's friends and the friends' parents have already taken the first step," says Mara Berkley, family therapist and professor at Bristol University in Rhode Island.  Lynn Rexroat of Chillicothe, Illinois, uses this method to keep tabs on her children. "My oldest son knows that in order for him to go anywhere with a friend, especially one I haven't met before, I have to speak with that friend's parent to make sure the arrangements are agreeable with us both," she says. "I don't interrogate them by asking about their private life. I just want to know that the parents of the other child know what the boys are planning to do. I feel that by my wanting to know I am protecting my son."  When a parent suspects that their child is hanging out with "the wrong crowd", the last thing on their mind should be discipline. Instead, Berkley says a parent should be more interested in finding out the reasons behind the behaviors and the child's choice to keep company with these types of friends.