Common Peer Pressure Myths And Misconceptions

Having a friend by your side , backing up your refusal to submit to peer pressure, helps to balance the odds. Teens who doubt their own abilities, judgment, or self-worth are more apt to succumb to negative peer pressure. Continue to help your teen refine his or her ability to determine right from wrong, and build his or her confidence to trust in this ability. Teach them to say “no.” Any parent knows that kids are great at saying “no” when it’s time to do homework or help with the dishes. However, saying “no” to peer pressure can prove far more complicated for teens. Sometimes that one little word is enough, but usually it is more effective to combine the “no” with a strategy suited to the situation.

Positive peer pressure will almost always push a person to discover their capabilities and strengths. On the other hand, negative peer pressure can lead to habits that are both cyclical and damaging. Alcohol and drugs, for example, are usually used in group settings. When pressure is high, and we’re feeling particularly vulnerable, we may decide on the easy choice.

How to Help Teenagers Deal with Peer Pressure

As the name suggests, spoken peer pressure is when someone verbally influences another person to do something. For instance, a teenager might influence their friend to smoke a cigarette by saying, «Come on, one cigarette won’t hurt.» Parents play a key role in supporting teens to deal with peer pressure. For example, if you hang out with a group of people who take school seriously, you may be more likely to prioritize academics too.

They are also typically striving for social acceptance and are more willing to engage in behaviors against their better judgment in order to be accepted. Believe https://ecosoberhouse.com/ it or not, you are one of their biggest influences and they listen when you talk. Pick up your child from events where alcohol or drugs may have been consumed.

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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. 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. When you say, “No, that’s how to deal with peer pressure not okay with me,” you’re giving your child the same language he can say when someone tries to talk him into doing something he shouldn’t. You deserve to surround yourself with supportive people who respect your decisions—not people who pressure you into doing something that doesn’t feel right. If you’ve decided that your friends don’t have your best interests at heart, search out new friends who share your values and interests.

Don’t make decisions based on what other people think is good for you or what they want you to do. It is easier to say “no” if someone else is also saying it. Saying “no” together makes it easier for the both of you. If something doesn’t feel right about a situation, it probably isn’t. Even if your friends seem ok with what is going on, the situation may not be right for you.

Role play peer pressure

Although parents worry about the influence of peers, overall, parents also can have a strong influence on whether children succumb to negative peer pressure. Because we all want to be accepted by our peers, it can be hard to be the only one saying “no” when faced with peer pressure. We must teach teens to be confident in themselves.