My parents always made sure that my friends were the "right" group of peers who studied hard in school. They also believed that befriending classmates of the opposite sex would hurt my grades (which may be true, according to research reported by The Economist).
Childhood friendships can have a positive influence on a child's development, and parents play an important role in nurturing those friendships, according to a 2011 study published in ECRP.
"Friendships contribute significantly to the development of social skills, such as being sensitive to other people's viewpoints, learning the rules of conversation, and learning sex and age appropriate behaviors," Paul Schwartz, PhD, professor of psychology at Mount Saint Mary College, wrote in Hudson Valley Parent.
I plan to encourage my kids to make their own judgments and find a group of friends that fits them. Don't get me wrong — I want to ensure that my kids have supportive friend groups, but they will have a say in who they want to spend time with.