Teaching Your Child To Resist Peer Pressure*

*This is a collaborative post*

We all come across peer pressure at some point or other in our lives, even as adults. The trick is to know how to spot it, and therefore avoid it, so that we stay out of harms way. Unfortunately, children are more easily led and often find themselves in a spot of trouble. With that said, it’s important for parents to teach their children about peer pressure and how to resist it. Here’s some advice from a boys’ school near Hertfordshire.

Start by sharing some examples of peer pressure with your child so that they can begin to understand what it is. You might be able to find some videos on YouTube to help you with your explanation. Explain to your child that if they go along with what other kids at school are doing, they might end up getting hurt or in serious trouble, so it’s better to say no. Sometimes, it might be better to offer up alternative ideas, rather than saying a flat-out no. For instance, your child could say “I don’t really want to do that, how about we do this instead?”.

Saying no or offering up one’s opinion requires confidence, especially if it involves a bullying situation, so it’s important to help your child with their self-esteem. Praise them when they deserve it and remind them that you are proud of them so that they know they have your support. You can also help them with their confidence by encouraging them to join an extra-curricular activity where they can make lots of new friends and learn new skills. If they do happen to find themselves in a tricky situation and they come to you for advice, don’t be too judgemental or hard on them, as they will be reluctant to come to you again in the future. 

If you are truly concerned about a peer pressure situation involving your child, don’t hesitate to contact their school to help resolve the situation as soon as possible. They may be able to enforce a seating plan in their classroom to ensure your child is sitting next to children who are a better influence on them. Be sure to meet your child’s friends by arranging playdates so that you can establish whether or not they are a good or bad influence.

 

*Image source Pexels 

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