When dealing with peer pressure, start by choosing friends who won’t pressure you do things. Your friends should accept you for who you are without wanting to change you. If your friends don’t make bad decisions, you’re less likely to make them, too. If peer pressure is becoming a problem for your child, consider other school choices. Online schools allow kids to focus on their education without fear of repercussions from classmates. Visit K12.com to learn more about online learning and whether it might be right for your student.

In these cases, parents do well to engage in parenting that fosters personal agency, responsibility and accountability. Just as in-person interactions can be both positive and negative, communication through social media can also have a positive or negative effect. Social media is constantly available, enabling teens to receive those messages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means social media has great potential to amplify feelings of peer pressure, both negative and positive. From the beginning, parents work to teach their children how to make healthy decisions. But as children age, parents’ influence decreases and the opinion of peers becomes more and more important.

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Peer pressure is feeling like you have to do something because your peers are doing it, or because they want you to do it. Peers are friends and acquaintances, other people your own age that you spend time with. They can be other kids from school, kids in your neighborhood, or kids on your sports team. The more time that you spend with these peers, the more pressure you may feel to do what everyone else is doing. If you are still having a difficult time handling peer pressure, talk to someone you can trust.

But when your peers make unhealthy choices and pressure you to do so, that’s called negative peer pressure. While it can be a common part of your teen years, it’s still possible to make healthy decisions. If you suspect that your kids are struggling with negative peer pressure, encourage them to talk to you. Sometimes kids don’t want to talk to their parents about peer pressure. Encourage them to talk about it with another trusted adult, like a teacher, a school counselor, a doctor, or a therapist.

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It may be that your child is independently making the decision to engage in these behaviors and is selecting peers with similar interests. It may also mean that your child is being influenced, but not pressured, by a peer culture that favors certain high-risk or negative behaviors.

Be prepared to deal with peer pressure by having a response ready. Avoid places where people do illegal activities or other things you feel uncomfortable around. Lean on people for support, like your friends, family, or a therapist. Remind kids to take a minute before reacting to peer pressure. Taking a deep breath and thinking about the consequences prior to answering will allow them to give a more thoughtful response.

Talk to a Trusted Resource

You can say anything you want without fear of judgement.Sometimes, a therapist just isn’t a good match. If you don’t feel comfortable around them or aren’t making progress, don’t be afraid to try a new therapist. Though it might be awkward or difficult to talk with them, think how much worse it would be to talk to them about how you followed your friends and got into serious trouble.

• Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication.
• Sometimes the best strategy is just walking away and distancing yourself from potential trouble.
• Be careful not to personally criticize a child’s friends however, better to focus on their behavior.
• This can lead teens to compare the true reality of their lives to the “picture-perfect” portrayal of others’ lives and feel pressure to keep up.

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Talk about what makes a true friend

Be open-minded to consorting with people from all different backgrounds, regardless of what your core peer group might say. Some kids will give into peer pressure as a way to fit in and be accepted by a certain crowd. They are worried they’ll be judged or made fun of if they don’t do what everyone wants them to do. The idea that “everyone else is doing it” can influence kids to leave behind their common sense and better judgement behind. 4) It is important to choose your friend circle wisely. You must have at least few friends who know how to enjoy life healthily if you want to lead an addiction-free life. Teach your child how to set boundaries and be assertive in their communication.

If you’re struggling with peer pressure, turn to them for help. If nothing else, ask them to listen and understand your experience.