I've been dealing with this problem now for a couple months. My daughter is 15. For YEARS my daughter's friends have been terrific, trustworthy, from great families, athletic, etc etc. In the last few months she has moved to a group of friends that are incredibly unstable. One girl has run away on several occasions and it isn't unusual for her parents to have no idea where she is. Another girl has has had several breakdowns and recently swallowed a large number of sleeping pills (she is okay now). Another is a diabetic that has been known to not take her medications. They all have issues with their parents. My daughter has admittedly started smoking pot. She says "everyone" does it. We keep her on a short leash and always try to know where she is, who she is with and when she will be home and for the most part she is complying. Her grades are okay, not great, but again, we track this regularly with her teachers.

Clearly she is trying to assert her independence. She says she likes these girls because she can talk with them and she feels comfortable talking about her problems (she is a bit high drama but doesn't really have any major problems per se). She says her older friends are shallow and she is bored with them. I frankly am very scared. I am concerned that these new girls will bring my daughter down with them. I don't think I can forbid her to see these girls can I? I want her to learn on her own that they are losers but that doesn't appear to be happening anytime soon. I'm concerned about summer when she will have free time and she won't be 16 until the fall so she can't legally work anywhere yet and we can't afford a sleepaway camp.

I appreciate anyone's assistance. thank you.