Editorials

Friends or Family: who gives the best advice?

30 April 2016

By Lauren E. White

There are many points in life when you don’t know which way to turn. Sometimes, we turn to others to hear their ideas about which path we should take. But sometimes we don’t even know who to turn to: our friends or our family?

Friends

Our friends are often a great source of entertainment to us and are often people our own age who understand what we’re going through. It may also be easier to confide in a friend if your issues are something personal and something you don’t feel you could tell your parents or any other members of your family – that’s why friends can be valuable.

However,  sometimes friends have no idea what advice they’re giving you because they haven’t experienced the issue themselves. Or because they don’t really care. If you want the advice of a friend, make sure it’s someone you trust and know for sure will give you advice from the heart. Some people in life just look out for themselves, so be careful who you trust.

Family

From the day you were born, someone in your family has been there for you. Your family will have known you for your whole life and they love you. This means they have a vested interest and really do care. Family wants the best for you. So if you really want valuable advice based on experience, you might ask a relative. It doesn’t have to be a mother or father figure, but could be a godmother or uncle.

On the other hand, some people might feel awkward about speaking to anyone in their family and asking for their advice. That’s fine and it’s normal too. If this is the case, you might want to speak to a friend or someone else you trust, like a teacher or another adult you know will be able to show you the light at the end of the tunnel.

It’s always a hard choice to make, but there will be someone out there who will listen and give you sound advice for the troubles of today.

If you are struggling at the moment and would like to talk to someone anonymously, you can contact ChildLine on 0800 1111.

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