“Now that I’m a lot older I‘d like to be more independent,” Tate says. “I don’t spend much time with my family. I spend enough as it is. Yet, [because] I’m older, I appreciate [family time] more.”
Christopher, however, says that such growth should not be left unchecked; too much independence can be detrimental to a child’s relationships.
“Ideally what happens as someone moves forward in their life is that they establish themselves, they grow…into a healthy sense of who they are as a separate individual while maintaining a healthy relationship with their original family,” Christopher says. “It shouldn’t be so much that somebody completely separates; it’s more that they learn to develop their own identity while maintaining that sense of who their family is and where that fits in their life.”
By the same token, children who spend too much time with their families may be negatively influenced if some family members aren’t the role models they should be, according to Davidson. Even if their family members do steer them in the right direction, spending an inadequate amount of time with those outside of their families can be detrimental.
The parenting manual offering solutions to the modern-day challenges families face. From Pre-K
through College stay up to date on the modern day issues families face.
MASK Mothers Awareness on School-age Kids offers parenting solutions for today’s families. MASK tackles important topics – from drugs and alcohol to bullying and Internet safety -and gives students, parents and the community the knowledge and tools to manage these potential challenges.
Subscribe today! https://www.maskmatters.org/product/mask-the-magazine/
Download and share the MASKmatters app now! Made for children, parents, teachers and in Spanish.
Have solutions at your fingertips
Available free on apple and google play links below
Apple https://apps.apple.com/us/app/maskmatters/id1482305692
Google Play
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.maskmatters.maskmattersapp&hl=en_US&gl=US