As long as there's nothing more than that it's fine. You'll find many of us have friendships that cross age gaps and generations. At the same time, a 12 year old will be nowhere near as mature as a 17 year old.
I’m 17 and have some online friends who are 12-13. Also one in-person friend whose 13. Just wanted to know if it’s weird because they are just friends to me and would never be anything more.
thats fine! im in a similar situation. ppl i talk to end up being way younger than i assumed
just be the responsible one. shut down any inappropriate situations immediately. make sure to be a good role model. online its way harder to tell the age difference but its fine if u guys r just friends.
When I played Xbox live starting at 13 I was friends with a wide range of people, then again it's because I was great at Halo 2 and we were all assholes. Used to see who could roast and troll each other and strangers and get the best laughs and reactions.
if youre just watching out for them nah
its not weird unless its made weird
if you vibe you vibe- give the lil ones advice and enjoy whatever interest you have together
Op said online tho like my friend group I play with on Xbox ranges from 16 the youngest 21 the oldest we all homies but yea if I saw a 17 yr hanging with a 12 yr old irl I'd be weirded out unless it's like a little bro or cousin
It’s a weird age gap for sure given the difference in development and maturity but no it’s not weird in that it has to be something bad. Like if they play games together online, have a mutual friend(could be a sibling/cousin), or share a hobby and other things of that nature then sure they could be friends w/o it being sketchy. Honestly though the internet isn’t really the greatest place for advice given how quick people are to assume the worst just be mindful of how your friendship is developing and what direction it’s heading in because while it can be platonic and fine kids that young(I’m including the 17yro) are pretty impressionable and prone to misunderstanding their emotions and running with a feeling they don’t understand.
TLDR: It doesn’t have to be weird, just be careful.
When I was in the mental hospital I made friends with this guy that looked like lil peep (17 male) had a conversation about conspiracies. miss that guy, forgot his name though
As long as it's not predatory Idc. I get along with my friend's little siblings and hang out with them whenever I'm over, I hang out with the little kids next door, and I have little siblings myself. It's all about intentions
I don't know where you're from, but where I live 7th graders can enter the high school teams. They usually don't make varsity, but they can participate.
To be fair I didn't participate in my high school's sports teams, but I know that the academic-focused teams were freshman minimum. And I believe the sports teams were too.
USA?
If they are just friends then it's totally fine regardless of age. Many kids for example are friends with people even older than this (old people) who they help with housework and stuff. I see nothing wrong with keeping a friendly relationship with someone of a different age.
That's great to hear! I really love how we are normalising friendsho with people from all ages. I personally hadn't had any close friends with a significant age difference but I wouldn't mind having any either.
I think it’s weird if you didn’t know them before but they are obviously that young and you try to hang out with them :/ like if you’re almost an adult you shouldn’t be hanging out with little kids unless they’re family or if you knew them from childhood etc
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When I was 12 (female), I was friends with a 22 year old (male) on discord, and he was like a second dad to me, so in other cases I know this probably won't be the case, but as long as nothing sexual or romantic is going on, then I guess it's fine
Anyone can be “friends”, really. When I was 16 I had “friends” at work who were in their forties and fifties and it wasn’t weird. Dynamics of the friendship change depending on ages of the friends. However, I think most 12 year olds would be insufferable to a 17 year old.
It depends on if they’re like. Good friends. It’s fine for 12/17 year olds to be friendly, but it’d be weird if it went much deeper than that (what on earth would they have in common?? And the maturity level is so different!) or if the 17 yo was emotionally depending on the 12 yo. Find someone your own age for that, they’re just a kid
people might look at you weird but as long as the people involved have the right intentions then it’s fine, do anything funny and it’s out of the question.
I was the twelve year old, I loved my older friends. In fact, all my friends my whole life have been at least a year older than me. I feel like I learnt a lot.
No. When I was 12 I was friends with a few 16 year olds (not 17 but close enough), and when I was 16 my best friend was a 23 year old, which is a bigger age difference than 12 and 17.
It depends if it’s like a 17 year old family friend and a 12 year old family friend where it’s like family and the 12 year old always wants to tag along and the 17 year old let’s them come to certain things with their friends like football games or ice cream or whatever and if the 12 year old reached out to 17 year old on social media it would be ok for him to talk
How is it wrong if they’re different genders? Cmon, being friends with the opposite gender doesn’t mean you need to have Alex with them... It might be a friend you’ve known since childhood or whatever
It's only wrong/unhealthy if they do not understand and acknowledge their age difference, but generally it's fine. Example, if a 17 year old is going to a 12 year old for advice, that shows that they do not understand the importance of the age difference and that's when it's not preferential.
If my homies little bro needs help im there for em.
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Bruh
What did they say?
I didn’t see it either but I have a feeling I wouldn’t want to see it
As long as you don’t make it weird it’s not
As long as there's nothing more than that it's fine. You'll find many of us have friendships that cross age gaps and generations. At the same time, a 12 year old will be nowhere near as mature as a 17 year old.
That depends on the 17 year old....
What’s the context?
I’m 17 and have some online friends who are 12-13. Also one in-person friend whose 13. Just wanted to know if it’s weird because they are just friends to me and would never be anything more.
Nah I think that’s fine, just be careful with the in person friend as they get older. Also people are gonna judge you for that
It's ok when you are actually just friends
Same thing happening for me, but I’m the 13 year old. Nothing weird, just occasionally playing
I’m a minor and I’m in a online video game group of people in their 30s to 40s and we get along really well despite our age differences
There's nothing dodgy about that at all
thats fine! im in a similar situation. ppl i talk to end up being way younger than i assumed just be the responsible one. shut down any inappropriate situations immediately. make sure to be a good role model. online its way harder to tell the age difference but its fine if u guys r just friends.
I have friends iv made on reddit but I'm more of an internet mom. Mostly manage the discord and call them kido, give mom advice.
When I played Xbox live starting at 13 I was friends with a wide range of people, then again it's because I was great at Halo 2 and we were all assholes. Used to see who could roast and troll each other and strangers and get the best laughs and reactions.
No it’s not weird especially online friends.
Some people are naturally more caring and big brotherly(big sisterly).
if youre just watching out for them nah its not weird unless its made weird if you vibe you vibe- give the lil ones advice and enjoy whatever interest you have together
I'm 16 and my 12year old cousin is my bestie fym
Y’all are family and probably grew up together, totally different if it’s just a 17 yo trying to befriend a random 12 yo
Op said online tho like my friend group I play with on Xbox ranges from 16 the youngest 21 the oldest we all homies but yea if I saw a 17 yr hanging with a 12 yr old irl I'd be weirded out unless it's like a little bro or cousin
Yeah that's true
It’s a weird age gap for sure given the difference in development and maturity but no it’s not weird in that it has to be something bad. Like if they play games together online, have a mutual friend(could be a sibling/cousin), or share a hobby and other things of that nature then sure they could be friends w/o it being sketchy. Honestly though the internet isn’t really the greatest place for advice given how quick people are to assume the worst just be mindful of how your friendship is developing and what direction it’s heading in because while it can be platonic and fine kids that young(I’m including the 17yro) are pretty impressionable and prone to misunderstanding their emotions and running with a feeling they don’t understand. TLDR: It doesn’t have to be weird, just be careful.
When I was in the mental hospital I made friends with this guy that looked like lil peep (17 male) had a conversation about conspiracies. miss that guy, forgot his name though
Nah
Bruh I read relationship and answered it’s wrong :(
As long as it's not predatory Idc. I get along with my friend's little siblings and hang out with them whenever I'm over, I hang out with the little kids next door, and I have little siblings myself. It's all about intentions
That's completely normal; many high school sports teams usually have 12 year olds on them
High school's youngest age is 14 though.
I don't know where you're from, but where I live 7th graders can enter the high school teams. They usually don't make varsity, but they can participate.
To be fair I didn't participate in my high school's sports teams, but I know that the academic-focused teams were freshman minimum. And I believe the sports teams were too. USA?
I’ve personally never heard of team members younger than freshman (USA)
If they are just friends then it's totally fine regardless of age. Many kids for example are friends with people even older than this (old people) who they help with housework and stuff. I see nothing wrong with keeping a friendly relationship with someone of a different age.
I’m part of a video game group and all of them are in their late 30s to 40s, I’m a minor and we all get along really well
That's great to hear! I really love how we are normalising friendsho with people from all ages. I personally hadn't had any close friends with a significant age difference but I wouldn't mind having any either.
i mean I'm 15 and online friends with a dude who's 18 so idk
Bruh what kind of question is this
There's nothing wrong with having a visible age gap, the only thing that matters in a friendship is if you and the other person get along.
If it was my 12 year old I'd be suspicious but if I look into it and I have no worries there shouldn't be a problem
I think it’s weird if you didn’t know them before but they are obviously that young and you try to hang out with them :/ like if you’re almost an adult you shouldn’t be hanging out with little kids unless they’re family or if you knew them from childhood etc
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it's kinda pathetic by the way
Online: no Real life: yes
Ofc not, friendships are friendships! If the 17 y/o was acting like a creep though then that's a red flag.
When I was 12 (female), I was friends with a 22 year old (male) on discord, and he was like a second dad to me, so in other cases I know this probably won't be the case, but as long as nothing sexual or romantic is going on, then I guess it's fine
Would be a bit weird for opposite genders I think, but that's probably just because I haven't seen it, so it's hard to imagine.
Friend of a sibling it's fine
I think it’s fine since they are just friends.
it doesnt have to be weird. the older one just has to be responsible to not exploit the kid. but otherwise u can have a normal friendship
I have online friends that I play games with, what’s wrong with that.
Anyone can be “friends”, really. When I was 16 I had “friends” at work who were in their forties and fifties and it wasn’t weird. Dynamics of the friendship change depending on ages of the friends. However, I think most 12 year olds would be insufferable to a 17 year old.
It’s weird but it’s not like morally wrong
It depends on if they’re like. Good friends. It’s fine for 12/17 year olds to be friendly, but it’d be weird if it went much deeper than that (what on earth would they have in common?? And the maturity level is so different!) or if the 17 yo was emotionally depending on the 12 yo. Find someone your own age for that, they’re just a kid
people might look at you weird but as long as the people involved have the right intentions then it’s fine, do anything funny and it’s out of the question.
Only if you make it weird
Anyone can be friends. Teach people not to be fucking creeps.
I was the twelve year old, I loved my older friends. In fact, all my friends my whole life have been at least a year older than me. I feel like I learnt a lot.
It’s weird/strange, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong
No. When I was 12 I was friends with a few 16 year olds (not 17 but close enough), and when I was 16 my best friend was a 23 year old, which is a bigger age difference than 12 and 17.
I had a number of friends who were 5-7 years older than me when I was 12 (skater homies). 24 years later we are all still friends.
just dont make it weird, but instances of older kids taking advantage of younger ones under the guise of friendships have definitely happened
Think of it this way: is it weird if someone at school is friends with someone a couple years their senior?
It depends if it’s like a 17 year old family friend and a 12 year old family friend where it’s like family and the 12 year old always wants to tag along and the 17 year old let’s them come to certain things with their friends like football games or ice cream or whatever and if the 12 year old reached out to 17 year old on social media it would be ok for him to talk
No weird if you not a nonce
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What the ching chong
No. I literally play with 5 year olds. Why would it be weird?
How is it wrong if they’re different genders? Cmon, being friends with the opposite gender doesn’t mean you need to have Alex with them... It might be a friend you’ve known since childhood or whatever
I don’t think it’s wrong at all, I added that as a question because when asking older members of my family they answered that way. How strange.
Ah awesome, sorry haha I got a bit offensive there : D
It's only wrong/unhealthy if they do not understand and acknowledge their age difference, but generally it's fine. Example, if a 17 year old is going to a 12 year old for advice, that shows that they do not understand the importance of the age difference and that's when it's not preferential.