My child spends a lot of time with friends older than them, should I be worried?

My child spends a lot of time with friends older than them, should I be worried?

Kairen Cullen (Educational Psychologist) gives expert video advice on: Is there anything I can do to help my child form healthy friendships?; How can I teach my child to deal with rejection?; Should I try and influence my child's choice of friends? and more...

Ideally, a child will spend their social interaction time with youngsters of a similar age. The reason I say that is because the developmental challenges vary enormously at different ages, and the activities that older children want to do may not be compatible with the developmental stage of your younger child. That's not to say there's no room for interactions, but it shouldn't perhaps be the sole source of social engagement.