way. As cruel as it may seem, it is, nevertheless, often in the child’s best interests to get in the way. None of us want to see our children left out in the cold, but it is by far the lesser of two evils when peer relationships threaten closeness with parents. There is no way of saving a peer-oriented child from distress. The only choice is whether the distress is now or later. The distress we create in the short term prevents far greater problems in the future.
