Whose influence on children is more important? Friends’ or parents’?

I’d say parents usually have the deeper influence, especially in the early years, because they shape a child’s values, habits, and sense of right and wrong before friends become a major part of life. For example, children often copy how their parents speak, handle problems, treat other people, and even manage emotions. That kind of influence is not always obvious, but it becomes the foundation of their personality. That said, friends can be more powerful during the teenage years. At that age, young people want to belong, so peer pressure can affect their clothes, hobbies, language, and sometimes even their attitudes toward studying or taking risks. A teenager may know what their parents expect, but they might still follow their friends because acceptance feels very important. So overall, I think parents have the more important long-term influence, but friends have a stronger day-to-day impact as children grow older. Ideally, parents should build enough trust with their children so that when friends influence them in negative ways, they still feel comfortable asking their parents for advice.