L.A. Parent: Helping Your Kids Navigate Friendships

L.A. Parent recently interviewed Suzanne Silverstein, MA, founding director of Cedars-Sinai Share & Care—a program for children and adolescents experiencing emotional and academic challenges—about how parents can help their children form strong, healthy friendships.

Silverstein told L.A. Parent that having friends is critical for people of all ages—especially children.

“Relationships with friends are one of the cornerstones of emotional development in a child,” Silverstein said. “Friendships teach children social skills, how to communicate with others, how to problem-solve and how to share. All these skills create an impact on the child and help develop positive self-esteem.”

Silverstein told L.A. Parent that parents can model for their children how to have good friendships.

“They see how you relate with others, how you talk to them and what you share with friends,” Silverstein said. “If you have problems making friends, this message will come across to your child.”

To better understand their children and how to support them as they make friends, Silverstein told L.A. Parent that parents should become familiar with their child’s “inner world” and what makes them unique.

“I wish all parents could recognize the importance of children’s inner worlds, their uniqueness, which is made up of their memories, energy, creativity, wishes, friends and worries,” she said. “The more you as a parent can recognize this part of your child and allow your child to share that part with you, the more you are able to see the different aspects of your child and appreciate your child’s individuality.”

Click here to read the complete article from L.A. Parent.