A negative peer pressure can devastate the present as well as the future of the child. Read on to know how to help your child deal with peer pressure. Negative peer pressure can be a big block in the developmental years of the child. Negative peer pressure always dents the confidence of the child. He grows up thinking that he is of no self worth and such an approach can be detrimental to his overall well being. A person who is unable to realise his self esteem can fall into the dark abyss of risk and danger repeatedly. Due to the impressionable age, the teen destroys his physical and mental health and often it takes a great deal of effort to restore them. The condition becomes unfortunate when a damage is done for a lifetime as in certain acute cases where there has been a practice of harmful activities like drug abuse or unprepared sexual experimentations, the teen happens to suffer from a huge emotional scar that refuses to heal even with the passage of time. It results in a severe mental disorder. It is thus extremely important that the parents help the teens deal with negative peer pressure. In this articleTips to Help Dealing with Negative Peer PressureHelp the Child Choose an Appropriate Peer GroupTeach the Teen the Importance of ResistanceDo Not Only Preach but PracticeTips to Help Dealing with Negative Peer Pressure Given below are some simple ways in which the situation can be handled: Help the Child Choose an Appropriate Peer Group It all starts with the urge to belong and participate in the activities of the peer group. If you can guide the child in choosing a positive peer group the problem can be readily solved. However, this is not that easy to execute. It is always the child’s prerogative to choose the peer group that she or he feels inclined to. So it is important that you start conditioning the child much before the reality of peer pressure actually crops up. Teach the child that the peer group is essential for one’s social survival and development. And the best option is to build and get in touch with a peer group where members have similar interests and share similar values in life. Teach the Teen the Importance of Resistance Help the child understand that it is a matter of conviction when you have to say a ‘no’. Declining to succumb to the coercions of a peer group does not necessarily translate into being weak or “uncool”. For a person his or her self-esteem and self-worth stands supreme. You need to help the child understand that these are basically defined by the values that he follows. So when he is coerced into doing something that is contrary to those he can always decline with a steady no. Explain to your teen that this will help him stand in good stead as one who has the confidence and the courage to uphold his beliefs and not fall into temptations are the true leaders. He will be respected for his conviction and in the process also help others to imbibe a positive approach towards life. Do Not Only Preach but Practice As you explain why giving in is bad, do not adopt the tone of a moral preacher. At this stage teens do not want to be in a company of a moral preacher. They want a friend with whom they can share their thoughts and peer issues with ease. So adapt to these changing requirements in your teen and try to be a pleasant communicator. Explain it to her in a factual manner that giving in bad because it shows the vulnerability of character and exposes the fact that one does not have faith or confidence to uphold one’s own values. Make sure that you practice all that you are promoting as the teenager will be observing you and taking cue from your behaviour and actions in life. It is a fact that kids automatically imbibe from the example of their parents. Therefore, it is essential for you to be a role model.
A negative peer pressure can devastate the present as well as the future of the child. Read on to know how to help your child deal with peer pressure. Negative peer pressure can be a big block in the developmental years of the child. Negative peer pressure always dents the confidence of the child. He grows up thinking that he is of no self worth and such an approach can be detrimental to his overall well being. A person who is unable to realise his self esteem can fall into the dark abyss of risk and danger repeatedly.
Due to the impressionable age, the teen destroys his physical and mental health and often it takes a great deal of effort to restore them. The condition becomes unfortunate when a damage is done for a lifetime as in certain acute cases where there has been a practice of harmful activities like drug abuse or unprepared sexual experimentations, the teen happens to suffer from a huge emotional scar that refuses to heal even with the passage of time. It results in a severe mental disorder. It is thus extremely important that the parents help the teens deal with negative peer pressure.
Tips to Help Dealing with Negative Peer Pressure
Given below are some simple ways in which the situation can be handled:
Help the Child Choose an Appropriate Peer Group
It all starts with the urge to belong and participate in the activities of the peer group. If you can guide the child in choosing a positive peer group the problem can be readily solved. However, this is not that easy to execute. It is always the child’s prerogative to choose the peer group that she or he feels inclined to. So it is important that you start conditioning the child much before the reality of peer pressure actually crops up.
Teach the child that the peer group is essential for one’s social survival and development. And the best option is to build and get in touch with a peer group where members have similar interests and share similar values in life.
Teach the Teen the Importance of Resistance
Help the child understand that it is a matter of conviction when you have to say a ‘no’. Declining to succumb to the coercions of a peer group does not necessarily translate into being weak or “uncool”. For a person his or her self-esteem and self-worth stands supreme. You need to help the child understand that these are basically defined by the values that he follows. So when he is coerced into doing something that is contrary to those he can always decline with a steady no.
Explain to your teen that this will help him stand in good stead as one who has the confidence and the courage to uphold his beliefs and not fall into temptations are the true leaders. He will be respected for his conviction and in the process also help others to imbibe a positive approach towards life.
Do Not Only Preach but Practice
As you explain why giving in is bad, do not adopt the tone of a moral preacher. At this stage teens do not want to be in a company of a moral preacher. They want a friend with whom they can share their thoughts and peer issues with ease. So adapt to these changing requirements in your teen and try to be a pleasant communicator. Explain it to her in a factual manner that giving in bad because it shows the vulnerability of character and exposes the fact that one does not have faith or confidence to uphold one’s own values.
Make sure that you practice all that you are promoting as the teenager will be observing you and taking cue from your behaviour and actions in life. It is a fact that kids automatically imbibe from the example of their parents. Therefore, it is essential for you to be a role model.
