Family and friends
Want to spend time with your friends but feel you should be with one of your parents?
When parents separate it can be tough to keep the balance between spending time with your friends and your family. You might feel sorry for a parent and not see so much of your friends as you don't want your parent to feel lonely or sad.
This is not an easy situation to be in and it can be hard to decide what to do. The positive thing is that you care about your friends and your family.
Your parents' separation is a hard time to go through, for everyone involved. However, it is important that you get out and get a bit of head space from what's happening at home. This can sometimes mean choosing to see your friends instead of staying with one of your parents. However it is also important to spend some quality time with each of your parents if possible, without feeling responsible for their welfare.
Let your parents know what's going on inside you. Tell them that you need some time away from home with your friends and explain that does not mean you do not care about them. Also explain what is happening at home to your friends so they know the reason why you may need to spend time with one of your parents.
Things that can help you to organise your spare time
- Make plans in advance
- Maybe you can compromise and sometimes bring your friend to a family event you have to go to
- Make suggestions about what you would like to do when with your parents; they might be happy to know how to encourage you to spend more time with them
