AMCstudents Parent CUE

!"#$%&'()* ,))- .") /0121304

Were Teaching This:
When we heai the woiu !"#$%&'(!, most of us think of celebiities walking
the stieets of Beveily Bills, baiking oiueis at theii "people". By uefinition, an
entouiage is ' (&$%* $+ *!$*,! '##!"-."( $& /%&&$%"-."( '" .0*$&#'"# *!&/$"1
Even if we uon't feel impoitant, most of us want at least a hanuful of people
who like to hang aiounu uspeople who laugh at oui jokes, go to the
movies, anu have oui back. King Baviu, his son Absalom, anu his gianuson
Rehoboam weie no uiffeient. Each hau an entouiage anu thiough them we see that the choices we make with those
aiounu us can change eveiything.
Think About This:
A quick Inteinet seaich ieveals the woiiies many paients feel when it comes to theii teen's fiienus. "Bow to spot a
bully". "A bau influence". "The wiong ciowu". Theie is plenty to woiiy about when it comes to youi chilu's
fiienus. But what if you have moie influence than you think. What if you weie able to not only help youi teen
choose fiienus, but to uiiectly influence the life choices those fiienus make. Noie anu moie stuuies say you can.
A stuuy publisheu in the aichives of Peuiatiic anu Auolescent Neuicine suggests that teens 56#7 8&6)"9: 57$ 7';)
:#&6<# ='&)"#: aie less likely to binge uiink anu make othei pooi life choices.
Think about that. The stuuents in this stuuy weie most influenceu by theii fiienus' *'&!"#/, not just theii fiienus. In
fact, you piobably uon't neeu a lot of ieseaich to know this. Bave you evei heaiu someone say, "She is like a seconu
mothei to me". Piobably so. Nany of us giew up with at least one set of fiienu's paients who influenceu us. Pait of
matuiing is beginning to listen to multiple voices, multiple auult influences. As paients we have an incieuible
oppoitunity to speak into oui own chiluien's lives by using oui influence to guiue theii fiienus.
Baving influence on youi chilu's fiienus uoesn't mean you have to be the "cool one". It uoesn't mean you have to
host oi allow paities anu be theii best buuuy. It also uoesn't mean you have the legally auopt them oi have them
ovei eveiy night. Baving influence is as simple as taking one step towaiu incluuing a fiienu in youi noimal plans.
>";6#) #7)? 6"@ Invite youi teen's fiienus to spenu time at youi house. You uon't have to uo anything
special oi make a five stai uinnei. Foi a lot of stuuents, the concept of a noimal (even boiing) family uinnei
is almost unimaginable. Simply being in a home with someone othei than theii own paients can offei them
a uiffeient peispective on things like maiiiage, woik, family, anu uecision-making. So uon't feel the neeu to
put on a show oi have the most fun house on the block. }ust allow someone else to be a pait of it.
>";):# 6" #7)?@ Invest time anu eneigy in youi teen's fiienus. Talk with them, ask questions, anu listen.
Teens aie often moie likely to open up to othei paients than theii own. Bo you know how to fix a cai, bake
a cake, fish, play tennis, oi sciapbook. Show them! The best conveisations take place while woiking on
something. They'll appieciate the skill anu youi own teen is moie likely to join if theii fiienus aie involveu.
Try This
Think about the fiienus youi teen alieauy spenus time aiounu. Bow intentional aie you about investing time in
those people. Is theie one teen you coulu invite to uinnei, to hang out, oi to be helpful. 0se the boxes below to
help you figuie out how you can be intentional with youi teen's fiienus.









Ny teen spenus the
most time with.
1._____________________

2.______________________

S._____________________

0ne fiienu I can
piay foi this week
is

_______________________

0ne fiienu I can
invite anu invest in
this month is

______________________