telling your kids their friends won't last forever

i know its an important lesson, that family will be for you when friends won't, (and one which i assume we all learn) but is it something you can just be told? its good to instill strong family values, but are you possibly condoning being a crap friend, as well as insulting their friends (in the child's perspective at least)?

i only really understood it at around 19 or something, a good example being my cousin going to hospital for a few weeks and family being the only reliable visitors, people who'd been close friends for years disappointing him with their lack of visits. As a child however i thought it was bs, my friends were good friends, and it made me think my parents were pessimistic or something.

figured since i've been voicing the opinion a little, i oughta discuss it. what do we all think? how many of us remember our reactions as kids?

 

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well, my friends are like family. They know more of my secrets than my family does. I still keep in contact with my best friend from high school and my college roommate and I've been out of school for over 20 yrs.

My 18 yr old son is still best friends with kids from kindergarten even though we moved from that town when he was in 3rd grade.

I guess I have no idea of what you are talking about.

 

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Yep!. Family are the greatest asset and people you can have. I've been neglecting mine recently, but that's due to other circumstances.

 

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That's not true, friends can be better than family sometimes. I guess it depends on who's in your family. Family values are bullshit anyway, what they really mean is a lack of values when it relates to anyone that didn't happen to share your little group.

 

I agree. Friends you pick have the same values. I think they 'get' you while your family just tolerates you.

 

Family. No matter what your values will always accept you on the basis of blood. Friend, as soon as you drop the values, you're dropped. full stop.
People change their values, but never their blood.
The family may not "get" you, but they'll support you.

Anywho, I figured since people here believed in love and what not, that they'd be likely to go for family..

 

so you believe 'blood is thicker than water'. I've seen more cheating done with family members than with friends.

 

There are some friends whom will stick with you, even after being "tested" (Success-illness-breakups). They are pretty rare though.

I think the OP is talking about Johnny fucktard, coolfuck whom likes to get all our kids on drugs and doing all the "cool" stuff like knocking some girl up or getting knocked up, beating on the weak...etc

These animals will not last as friends, that's for sure.

 

Umm you are gonna have to elaborate on that one Orly. "Cheating done with family members". You been fuckin your brother again?

 

ah I see.

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Those are the only ones I call friends. All others are 'a person I know'

 

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My dad slept with my mom's sister. My college roommate's dad slept with his son's wife. A teacher slept with her brother in law. a co-worker slept with his brother's wife.

 

Jesus Christ, that would make a great Steve Wilcos show.

 

Cynically, I wouldn't trust my parents because I can't predict what they'll do in certain situations. Given that friends can always cut and run, you know what the worst is and can be. With Parents you don't.

 

Holy shit .
That's taking "I am not my brother's keeper" to a whole new level.
I see where you come from.

 

why would anyone have a friend that would cut and run?? How well do you really know your friends?
and lots of parents bail on their children. You're just lucky enough to have ones that haven't.

 

if you are pissed at a spouse/sibling, cheating in the family hurts at a whole different level. Sides are chosen and the impact is felt a lot harder.

 

orly, i have never experienced anything like that or seen that happen within a family. i have seen many more supposed friends get caught fooling around though.

 

friends or people that just hang out together?

 

My dad told me it at 7, when his friend passed away. It hit me for a day or two and then I was over it.

Honestly the way he said it was very passive, and I think he did not realize I was not aware of the fact that people die.

 

that makes no sense. He died! Family dies as well.