Mom•Logic's editor-in-chief Sabrina Weill has advice for dealing with a bad influence in your child's life.

TMZ is reporting that sources close to Lindsay Lohan are worried about her friend, Patrick Aufdenkamp, because he allegedly puts her in close proximity to alcohol, putting her sobriety in jeopardy. I was formerly editor of Seventeen, and have fielded a lot of letters from Moms who have a similar issue: What to do when you suspect one of your kid's friends is a bad influence? Here's my advice:

Get to know the friend. Looks can be deceiving, so have the other kid over and ask questions. This will also show your teen you are not making a snap judgment.

Avoid name calling. Your child will shut down communication if he or she feels you are being mean or disrespectful to their friend.

State your concerns ... carefully. If you decide your child's friend is a bad influence, explain to your teen why you're worried and try simply asking her to stop seeing the friend. Sometimes teens are secretly relieved when you make this kind of request. Of course, if you feel your child is endangered by their friend, you have to lay down the law and just know your teen will be angry about it for a while.