A parent’s social life

There are so many ways you influence your child’s social life in both negative and positive ways. Some parents choose to take control and get too involved. Some parents don’t get involved enough. Honestly many therapists and experts love talking about how and when parents should get involved in their child’s social life. The truth is for some, your influence will prove fruitful, and for others you will have little hope of influencing this way.

Few experts remember to talk about the fact that how parents handle their own social life has more influence than all the discussions, interventions, and control tactics in the world. Parents with healthy social habits and skills have a more positive influence in the long run. The influence is not only through modeling healthy social behavior, but through the fact that you are caring for yourself relationally; which will inevitably result in healthier relationships, greater coping strategies, and more personal growth. So often parents make their children their life in the beginning, forgetting to slowly let go as the child gets older. At no point in time is it healthy to completely shut off your social life, especially by the time your child becomes a teen. Yes, they still need you, but they also need you to have your own life too.