If their child is small then it’s odd and seems like the parents relationships are lacking. If the child is over say 25 then it’s most normal especially if the parent is young. I was 25 when my mom was not even 50. We were close, not best friends but I can see how that could have happened if our personalities worked better together.

my son is my best friend. sorry i'm not sorry.

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for the kid, and think the parent is probably immature. Unless the “best friend” dynamic developed after the child was fully grown.

+1. I love my child more than anything but he is not my best friend and inherently shouldn't be IMO

I feel sorry for the kid, and think the parent is probably immature. Unless the “best friend” dynamic developed after the child was fully grown.

Pathetic and sad, it shows that the parent has unresolved issues.

Anonymous wrote:...their kid is their best friend?

Pathetic? Endearing? In between?

I feel sorry for the kid. He got a loser best friend.

What they say doesn't bother me. It's what it means in daily life that matters to the kid, right?

If what you mean when you say that is that you love hanging out with your kid and enjoy family outings together and find them an interesting person (outside of all the other parenting duties), then great. If on the other hand you mean something like the kid is your "partner in crime" and made to listen to your feelings and take care of your needs and can't have their own life, that's not good.

Anonymous wrote:I think they mean their kid is the only person that has been thru xyz situation with them. Usually it’s a single parent and the child and parent have bonded over that particular instance or way of life. Only the child would understand, etc.. what it was like to move overnight with the parent from Omaha to Nashville, start a new life only knowing each other and such...

This is definitely not true in my life. SAHMs (sorry to generalize, that's just what I've encountered) who think it's cutesy, but doesn't think about the message they're sending their child.

I think they mean their kid is the only person that has been thru xyz situation with them. Usually it’s a single parent and the child and parent have bonded over that particular instance or way of life. Only the child would understand, etc.. what it was like to move overnight with the parent from Omaha to Nashville, start a new life only knowing each other and such...

My SIL calls my nephew her best friend and it drives me crazy. I'm my kids' mother, not their best friend. Different roles, FFS.

I think they’re immature, and/or don’t understand what a friend is. A friend is an equal and friendship is reciprocal. A child is not an equal and parenthood is the most lopsided relationship you’ll have in your life, where you should be giving without expectation of your child doing anything for you.

I think they just mean they like hanging out with their kid more than anyone else.

No need to think too deeply about someone’s casual statement.

I think that they're either not using the right word, or that they're not thinking straight.

Going to become a parent to a screwed-up adult.

...their kid is their best friend?

Pathetic? Endearing? In between?