Teen Milestone: Choosing Friends Over Parents

No one wants to be second-choice unless being second-choice means that you’re getting to witness your teen choosing a peer relationship over a parent for an activity. While that may sound like a strange thing to celebrate (Rejection! Yay!), what you’re really marking is your fantastic job as a parent raising a self-sufficient human who feels prepared to go out into the world. Your love, support, and boundaries ensure they feel safe stepping away from the nest and forming friendships. So smile as they go off with their friends. Don’t worry—they’ll still want  adventures with you.

Discover more teen milestones.