Should we worry about the friendships our children make at school?

With the new term looming, (some children in Scotland return on Wednesday 16^th August) and a change of school for some children, parents will already have a lot on their minds. New uniform, new teachers, and what about new friendships? How concerned should we be about those our children befriend, and what can we do about it?

The answer, of course, is a continuum. Or a pair of continuums. Continua? The first ranges from ‘very concerned’ to ‘supremely relaxed’, and the second from ‘we can destroy the friendship’ to ‘not a lot’. It all depends, partly on the child, partly on their age.

It is easy to slide into a siege mentality, when considering the influences our children will face at school. For some parents, of course, there is no question of such exposure: they will seek out ‘Christian’ schools (by which I mean overtly Christian, not just Church of England aided) or they will opt for home schooling. I have friends who have chosen this, and the children have thrived. But it bothers me, and the question of worrying about their friendships bothers me a bit as well.