Stress-Free Discipline

8

Impact Your Child’s Social Development and Peer Influence

You are the most important influence in your child’s life. Your influence goes to the core of who your child is, and the person he or she is becoming. You may not see the full effects of your influence for a number of years, as friendships eventually take center stage, but, rest assured, it’s critical.

You can instill positive qualities in your child that spur social development.

A child’s social development—the process of learning the knowledge, values, and skills that enable him to relate to peers and adults in a socially acceptable way—impacts his behavior. You play a vital role in that development, first as the gatekeeper of your child’s social relationships, then as the facilitator, ...