the average Facebook user has 130 friends

He’s funny, smart and cooks a mean grilled cheese! Who won’t want to be this kid’s friend… fact or fiction…you and your teen should be best friends

When you think of your friends, they are individuals you like and typically share common interests. And of course your teen and you can very well have some common interests, so this has gotta be FACT, right? Sorry, sista, this one’s a big fat FICTION! Here are things to remember before becoming BFFs with your teen: says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says sally says

• me parent, you child In the parent-child relationship, there is a hierarchy. You are the big kahuna, the rule maker and layer down of the law. In a friendship, the individuals are on equal ground. Equal ground isn’t going to work very well when you think [know] curfew should be midnight and Mr. Teen sees nothing wrong with 3am. There is no reason you can’t enjoy time with your teen, but you need to be a parent for his own good.

• confidant needed An important role of friendship is being confidants, really spilling your guts. Sharing your deepest feelings about your no good boss or nosey mother in-law with your 35-year-old BFF… acceptable. But with your 16-year-old teen…not so much. He might not be emotionally ready for your dirty laundry or to hear you talk poorly about his grandma! Besides, when we confide in our friends we are opening the door to their advice. In what world would you turn to a teen for advice in your adult life? I rest my case.

• in due time For the time being, you need to be parent first and foremost. Can you enjoy your teen’s company, be close and have fun together? Absolutely, but you can’t lose sight of your current role. Gone are the days your hug and kiss could fix virtually anything, today you have to be able to set limits and enforce them. The bucks gotta stop with you and that won’t happen if you’re more friend than parent.

Who is Sally?

She is our quintessential, “do-it-all” mom and friend who reminds us to remember the woman behind the mom.