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DEAR CAROL: My 'Rents Don't Like My BFF
Dear Carol,
I have been best friends with this girl for two years now, but my parents stopped liking her last year. They said she makes my grades drop and influences my attitude. The fact is, my grades haven’t changed (still straight A’s), and neither has my attitude. I really wish I could get them to like her again. How can I? It’s been hard for us to hang out.
-Clueless
Dear Clueless,
It might help if you point out to your parents that you are still making A’s. It’s normal for your attitude to be changing a little—that’s part of adolescence and not your friend’s fault. Explain to your parents that because you’re a hard-working student, you like to relax sometimes, and she is fun to be with.
Also, is there a particular parental button your friend keeps accidentally pushing? If so, can you gently let her know? For instance, if she keeps inviting you out on school nights, you could say, “Grades are way important to my parents, so homework and plenty of rest come first. But I’d love to do stuff on the weekends.”
What else? Understand that just as you don’t like all your parents’ friends, they won’t like all of yours. Spend time with your friend at school (during lunch, study hall, and between classes), and, if possible, join student government or community service or some other after-school club together.
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POSTED IN bff, Friends, Dear Carol
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