If you haven’t experienced peer pressure at some point or another throughout your life, then you are one of the lucky few. Even as adults, we can sometimes fall victim to negative peer influence, especially with so much focus on social media. Peer influence is slightly different to peer pressure, but it can still have a damaging effect on us if we let it. This is even worse for young people who are still trying to make sense of the world and how they fit in. With that said, it’s important for parents to teach their kids about peer pressure and peer influence and help equip them with the skills to avoid it. Here are some tips from a private school in Hampshire to get you started.
Explain Peer Pressure
Obviously, you will need to explain to your child what peer pressure actually means. They won’t know how to avoid something if they don’t know what they’re actually avoiding. Maybe you could find a video on YouTube that outlines peer pressure or perhaps you could even share some stories of your own, to make it feel more relatable to your child. Ask them if they can think of any of their own examples but try not to make them feel judged. They need to know that they can open up to you about these types of topics.
Talk About True Friendship
It’s also important that your child understands what a true friend is. Take it in turns to share some of the traits of a true friend so that you know your child is actually engaged in your explanation. Tell them that a real friend should never make you do something that you’re not comfortable doing. So, if your child thinks something is potentially dangerous or could get them into trouble, they should know that a true friend wouldn’t force them to do it.
Help Your Child Become More Confident
Part of avoiding peer pressure is having the confidence to stand up to someone and say no. Most of the time, when we fall victim to peer pressure, it’s because we are afraid of disappointing someone or looking bad. Your child needs to have enough self-esteem to know that being your own person and doing your own thing doesn’t make you look bad; it makes you look unique – and being the same as everyone else would be boring. Try and find ways to help boost your child’s confidence so that they feel more comfortable saying no.