Being a parent can be, at times, difficult. For instance, banning a friendship with another child who, the parent believes is a bad influence. No matter how well-intentioned, the action is likely to backfire and make bad behavior worse. Florida Atlantic University researchers and colleagues in Lithuania suggest maternal disapproval might damage the child’s standing with peers—such as being liked or disliked—and inadvertently worsen behavior problems. So what’s a parent to do? The study in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry advises maintaining positive relationships, since warmth and support can be buffers against troublesome peer pressure, or create opportunities for constructive peer relationships in supervised settings.