Colman Noctor: Help your child establish boundaries with friends

One teenage girl described herself as ‘the schoolyard social worker’ because she kept befriending people with mental health needs 

Pic: iStock

Healthy childhood and teenage friendships are one of the most protective aspects of maintaining good mental wellbeing, but toxic or unhealthy friendships can cause profound damage.

The concept of friendship seems to have changed in recent years. Even the word ‘friend’ has undergone significant changes because of technological and social media influences. Contemporary iterations of being ‘friended’ and ‘unfriended’ are commonly used terms, diluting the traditional understanding of friendship and making the relationship more transactional and disposable.