6 ways to help your child deal with peer pressure

Don’t necessarily go with the first people you meet, especially if they seem pushy or want to do things that don’t seem right to you. Look for people with whom you share interests, like exercise, music, or student leadership-anything where you have more in common than drinking. Set age-appropriate limits Kids need to have a safety net, even when they are old enough to make many decisions for themselves. Knowing mom and dad are waiting up for the “I’m safe” phone call encourages kids to think twice about their actions. Apply your own positive pressure Their actions may seem to signal constant rebellion, but in fact, it’s natural for kids to want to please their parents. Parents should remember they have a strong influence over their child, even when it appears they’re ignoring you. Applying positive pressure, such as encouraging your student to study more or take a tougher class, can result in them actually doing it.

The fear of not having those things is enough to propel some people to extreme or inappropriate responses. Bullying Most people likely do not think of themselves as bullies. But the “playground persecutor” is just one version of a bully, and bullying behavior can be developed in small doses. If a group of friends begins to bully someone else, cheering each other on, it can lead to a conundrum for the student who recognizes what’s happening. If they stand aside and resist taking part, they may be treated as an outcast. But if they do join in, they will face the negative feelings accompanied by becoming a bully themselves. In reality, peer pressure can be either a positive or negative influence that one peer, or group of peers, has on another person.

Tips for Parents: Peer Pressure and Encouraging Your Student

If you’ve outgrown certain relationships, let them go and try to surround yourself with people who appreciate your ideas, lifestyle and choices without judging them. Think ahead If you know there will be drugs or alcohol at a party, decide in advance how you will handle it, or make other plans.

• Maybe you admire a friend who is a good sport, and you try to be more like them.
• Saying no while smiling and leaning into someone could send mixed signals.
• This type of peer pressure can be direct, indirect, spoken and/or unspoken.
• Get tips to help manage your emotions and see what to do if you are in crisis.

Peers are people who are part of the same social group, so the term “peer pressure” refers to the influence that peers can have on each other. Verywell Mind articles are reviewed how to deal with peer pressure by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research.

How Negative Peer Pressure Affects Your Mental Health

Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. When your child hears you setting limits clearly, firmly, and without a lot of explanation, this helps him see that it’s OK to do the same.

You’re in the car with a friend when her cell phone beeps. As a result, you leave your cell phone alone until you’ve stopped. At a restaurant, you try to stick to your usual cheeseburger and fries, even as your friends https://ecosoberhouse.com/ are ordering more exotic dishes. They cajole you to try “just a bite” of something you would never order – something you can’t imagine eating. But you eventually give in and taste it, only to discover that you love it.

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Peer pressure is internal or external pressure felt to behave in certain ways, both good and bad. Peer pressure begins as early as age 10 with the forming of social groups in elementary school and increases during adolescence, throughout junior high and high school.

With experience in academic counseling and clinical supervision, Klare received her Master of Social Work from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 1983. For example, if you see someone reading a book that you like, strike up a conversation with them about the book and get to know them. Be careful not to get baited into doing something by being called “scared” or “a chicken.” Stay firm in your own decision. WikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 15 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status.

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If you have problems with peer pressure, talk to a grown up you trust, like a parent, teacher, or school counselor. Changing hormones, developing brains and emerging identities makes the start of adolescence a particularly vulnerable time, where peer pressure is most influential. This is also a stage in life where friend groups are of utmost importance and the need to fit in is a major factor in decision making. Learn more about the types and effects of peer pressure and how you can prepare your child to deal with it in a healthy way. If you’ve adopted values, beliefs, goals or hobbies based on what others in your peer group believe or do, you’ve experienced peer pressure, whether positive or negative. Whether you’re looking to earn your online degree or you’re a parent looking for answers, you can find all of your questions covered here.

“Bystander intervention” can be an effective way to support others and send a message. If your family has clear household rules it will be easier for your child to avoid breaking them. Provide your child with certain ground rules like, “in this family we are kind to everyone.” If kindness is a family rule, agreeing to tease another classmate would clearly go against that. The child can then refer to their family rule when refusing to give in to peer pressure. ‘’Peer pressure is stress of strain you feel from friends and school mates to act , behave , think and look a certain way.

Teach your child how to set boundaries and be assertive in their communication. Ask them to think about what they would say in a negative situation, and practice saying no in different ways. Create an environment of open communication with your child from an early age.

• As part of adolescent development, teens must learn to maneuver the ins and outs of friendships and other relationships.
• Although it is important for young people to learn to speak for themselves, adults must guide them in understanding how to recognize positive pressures, and how to avoid negative ones.
• When you behave in ways that contradict your core values, your self-esteem suffers, and you may lose feelings of autonomy and control over your life.
• When you’re faced with a choice, ask yourself what your reasons are for doing something.