At a time of life when physical appearance is so overwhelmingly important, it's comforting to have friends of the opposite sex who appreciate them for who they are inside, rather than what they look like on the outside. There are no 'mating and dating' variables there. And boys can drop these macho attitudes they build up with other guys and see girls as they really are, rather than through the cultural prism. They talk on the phone, do homework together over the phone, watch TV shows while on the phone and talk about crushes, which are very important to them. Plus, I knew I could trust her with anything.
Girls understand boys better than boys understand boys.
Guys can't tell certain things to other guys. Not surprisingly, parents can't play matchmaker for their young teens' relationships, even the platonic ones. She is also the mother of three adolescent children. 2000 HealthGate Data Corp. All rights reserved.