Dealing with "peer pressure": assisting your child/teen to recognize, cope, and deal with pressure
HOW TO DEAL WITH PEER PRESSURE. DEALING WITH PEER PRESSURE AND ASSISTING YOUR CHILD/TEEL TO RECOGNISE, COPE AND DEAL WITH IT
If there’s one thing a growing girl/boy and/or a teenager will have to battle at some point in their ‘stage of life’, it is peer pressure.
There's a general pressure amongst teens and pre-teens to look a certain way, to sound a certain way and to do certain things a certain way that the majority – in particular the in-girls or in-boys do. Teens and pre-teens normally don’t have the self-esteem and the self worth to deal with these unfair life pressures, and they find themselves giving in to the demands of the masses, just to belong. Your child will be dealing with peer pressure, whether you like it or not.
Dealing with peer-pressure: how to warn, coach, prepare and help your child/teen
Dealing with peer-pressure: how to warn, coach, prepare and help your child/teen - Equip your child/teen to recognize, cope and deal with peer pressure
As a parent of a growing child or teen, you cannot afford to assume that your child knows and can recognize peer pressure when it happens. This is because pressure from other kids doesn’t always look like peer pressure. Give your child practical examples of what it is.
Tell him/her: If all of your friends are doing something bad - immoral or illegal, and you know it is a bad thing that could get you into trouble, do you know what you should do? Do you know how they will all try to brain-wash you, bully you and threaten you into being involved? They may say you are weak, or that you are a sissy, coward and perhaps that you are a bore and they don’t want to hang out with you or be friends with you anymore.
I tell my eight year old son: “if any of your friends doesn’t want to be friends with you because you won’t do certain things that he wants you to, be very glad to lose him. You will feel sad but know that, you deserve better than that and you’ll find like-minded friends eventually. When you feel sad, talk to us about it – we have been there too and we are here to support and advice you.”
Prepare your child for peer pressure and make sure that, for him/her, dealing with peer pressure is not as stressful and depressing as it usually is.
DEALING WITH PEER PRESSURE: PEER PRESSURE COULD LEAD TO LONELINESS AND DEPRESSION
DO NOT LET YOUR PEERS PRESSURE YOU INTO HAVING SEX
TOXIC FRIENDS: A FRIEND WHO BULLIES YOU IS NO FRIEND AT ALL
FORGIVE AND FORGET BUT KEEP MOVING
TEEN PRESSURE CAN LEAD TO UNWANTED PREGNANCIES AND ABORTIONS
MOST TEENAGERS ALTER THEIR LOOKS BECAUSE OF PRESSURE TO LOOK 'BEAUTIFUL'
SOMETIMES KIDS LURE EACH OTHER INTO USING DRUGS
GIVE ADVICE THE CORRECT WAY
