I’m a bit lost here. My 11 year old daughter almost never makes plans outside of school, she’s home most of the time but seems happy, saying all her friends are online, and that her friendships feel just as close and supportive. I’ve tried to get her into more activities or to hang out with her friends in person, but she says she’s really happy the way things are. I’m not sure if I should encourage her to meet up with friends more or if it’s okay for her to have these primarily online friendships if they make her happy and feel good about herself. Any thoughts?
Maybe it’s just a new normal? My oldest is similar, always online with friends but says they’re close and content.
I get it; it’s a tough one! My son is 13, and his friendships are mostly online, too. I worry sometimes about him not having those in-person memories. But when I see him laugh with his friends over their game chats, I know he’s got genuine connections. We’ve kind of accepted that this is a whole new world for them.