Parents being their children's best friend....

More specifically parents believing that they are their child's best friend.

A child will develop numerous friendships away from their parents, which you may or may not agree with, it's part of growing up...But children only get a set number of parents, they need you to step up, and set boundaries, which you then enforce.

I am not talking about unreasonable controls, but children need to know that someone cares enough to hold them accountable for their behaviour. They need you to be their champion, certainly, but they also need you to realise that they are not perfect, they will mess up and misbehave, you are responsible for,fairly, correcting their behaviour, with love and whichever consequences you decide are best for your family.

Consequences can be the naughty spot/step, restorative justice (helping them realise what they have done, and them finding a way to make it better), time outs, grounding etc. I have also smacked each of my children once, for similar misbehaviours involving roads as young children.

As a teacher I have lost count of the number of parents (usually mums) say I am little Jenny's best friend. Sorry but little Jenny has plenty of friends her own age, but she is completely incapable of correcting her behaviour to actually get on with learning.