lecture notes, July 18

 Children's friends that have a negative impact instead of being a positive asset in the lives of their friends, show's me that they have not been encouraged through tough situations themselves. It is important for us to know the friends our children have. It has been said that it is easier for bad influences to bring their friends down to their level, then it is for friends to bring someone from a negative situation up to a positive level. With all the hurdles in the lives of our children, I do not want anyone not even another child to add to the hurdles. I know we can not pick the kids that our children will choose to be friends with, but if we provide our children with the self confidence and awareness of certain things our kids will not feel they need to settle for less then they have come to be familiar with and consider to be normal. My daughter and son if someone were to try to bring them down would feel bad for that kid, in the past when dealing with children that have been rude, or mean or that have said things that were not nice I have explained that they say and do those things because they are experiencing pain somewhere in their lives.