“The View”'s Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin have a tense discussion about treating your kids like friends

Whoopi Goldberg and Sunny Hostin found themselves not only on the opposite sides of The View table this morning, but also on opposing sides of a debate regarding how our relationships change with our parents and children over time.

During a discussion about whether or not parents should consider their children as friends, Hostin explained, "I have seen a lot of friends make that mistake and then, when you've gotta put the hammer down, they're looking at you like, 'You're my best friend and you broke my heart.' And so I have tried very hard, even with adult children, not to be their friend."

She then proceeded to reveal that her 17-year-old daughter, Paloma, "doesn't like me this morning" because she was running late and Hostin had to stress the importance of getting to school on time.

"But that's not an adult," Goldberg noted. "My kid is much older than your daughter."

ABC (2) Whoopi Goldberg and Sunny Hostin on 'The View'

Hostin then noted that her 21-year-old son, Gabriel, is an "adult child" but still receives the same treatment. "He's not an adult yet," Goldberg interjected. "Listen — you will find that you have to become friends with your children, but only after they pass the point where they have to take care of themselves. That is important."

Goldberg added, "I'm telling you because all of my grandkids are past that point, so we can hang out, we can be friends and all that. [My great-granddaughter] Charlie, who's only nine, that's not my friend!"

Still, Hostin felt that there was an important divide that should exist between a mother and their child. "I love my mom, I adore her," she prefaced, "but I'm not going to treat her like my friend."

"Well that's too bad," Goldberg replied. "I'm sad to hear that."

"I have a certain… Just … I don't want to call it respect, but there's just a thing there," Hostin said as Goldberg repeatedly voiced her disapproval. Alyssa Farah Griffin then joined in, adding, "Oh no, my mom's my friend."

When Hostin noted that she simply couldn't get past that hurdle with her own mother, Goldberg replied, "You will."

"I hope!" Hostin fired back. "Well, I don't think so."

As the rest of the cast laughed at the pair's stalemate, Goldberg audibly cleared her throat before concluding, "Well, you know what, rather than try to convince you — 'cause I don't really care that deeply — I'm just going to say to you: You'll know it when it happens."

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET/PT on ABC.

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