5 Things Tween Girls Need To Know About Friends

Friends are probably the most important people in a tween girl's life right now. But girls need to be careful who they call their "best friends." Girls are tricky! It's important to explain to your tween to be careful who they trust with their feelings or secrets.
Here are a few tips to ensure your tween makes good choices in picking friends! 1.
BEST FRIENDS! These are special friends who won't judge. They listen. They have their friend's back and they don't want to see their friends get in trouble by getting involved in bad things. Availability is key! Friends who make time to make your tween smile when the world is hard.

But this does not happen overnight--it takes time to really know if a girl can trust them with her feelings, or secrets.
2. INSIDE FRIENDS! These are good friends. Your tween may have a lot of common interests with these friends and enjoy their company. For example, maybe they live in the same neighborhood, love sports or belong to the same Girl Scout troop as your daughter.
They are polite to you and your family.

These children typically share the same values as your family. They are always invited into your home.

Most friends fit in this category. 3. OUTSIDE FRIENDS! These are kids your tweens really don't know. They aren't the type of friends that they share a lot in common with but the kids play together well.
..
outside. Typically, they are not invited inside of your house for dinner.
Girls don't want to tell them secrets about themselves because chances are they will probably tell everyone.
..but something about them is still likable.

4.

TOXIC FRIENDS! These are bad kids! When your tweens tell them something..
.they tell everyone.
They pretend to be your tween's friend to get them to tell secrets-and then they use that information against the tween. When your girls talk to them they feel worse afterwards.

They are always competing with your tween.
They only feel good when they make your tween feel bad. Explain to your tween to get rid of them because they are not really friends-they are really bullies.

5. ACQUAINTANCES! These are kids that your tween don't really know but want to.

Remember when you were a little kid and all you had to say was "want to be my friend?" and v-o-i-l-a, you were "friends"? In fact, you really didn't know anything about that child. Tell yours girls that they need more time to figure out if and when an 'acquaintance' will become a friend.
If your girls surround themselves with a healthy and supportive friendship, they will be less likely to be bullied by other girls who believe they can put them down! It is all about confidence, reliability and common interest! Surround your girls with respectable role models and watch out for signs of toxic friends.