Helping Your Child Resist Peer Pressure
Peer pressure is something that most children will encounter at some point during their childhood.
Peer pressure is when your child feels like they have to do something just because all of their friends are doing it, or when friends try to influence their decisions or actions. Parents should make their children aware of peer pressure and teach them that it is okay to say ‘no’ when they feel uncomfortable.
To help your child resist peer pressure here is some advice from an independent school in Leicestershire…
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Discuss peer pressure
To help your child fight back against peer pressure, they will need to be able to spot when it is happening. Explain to your child certain situations where they may experience peer pressure and role play some examples. Teach your child to be sensible and confident in their decision making and reassure them that they can always talk to you if they are worried about anything.
Say NO
It is important that your child feels confident enough to say ‘no’ when something makes them feel uncomfortable. It can be extremely hard for your child to say no to their friends, but it is important to explain that true friends will not pressure them to do something they don’t want to do. You could teach your child to offer an alternative suggestion in response to peer pressure. For example, if they feel that an activity is unsafe, they could try suggesting another fun alternative.
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Meet friends
Get to know your child's friends and encourage your child to invite them to your home. Spend time getting to know your child’s friends and their families. If your child seems reluctant for you to meet a certain school friend, you could always ask their teacher for advice. They will be able to keep an eye on your child and look out for any signs of bullying.
Celebrate individuality
Finally, teach your child to be accepting of other people and to be proud of their own individuality. This will help them to feel less worried by peer pressure. Peer pressure works by making an individual feel wrong or unaccepted for not following along. Explain to your child that we do not all need to be the same, or do the same things in order to fit in.
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Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.