How to Protect Your Child from Peer Pressure

Now that our children have settled back into school for the year, they are busy broadening their educational and social horizons.

One of the social elements that can strike fear into the heart of parents is peer pressure. Peer pressure is the influence wielded by people within the same social group. It is also the term used to describe the effect this influence has on a person to conform in order to be accepted by the group. Often, peers are thought of as friends, but peers can be anyone of a similar status, such as people who are the same age, who have the same abilities, or who share a social status.

Peer pressure can range from subtle to overt, which means that some forms of peer pressure can be easier to spot than others. Being able to identify signs that your child is dealing with peer pressure may help you start a supportive conversation.

Some signs that your child may be experiencing peer pressure include:

• Avoiding school or other social situations
• Being very image-conscious
• Changes in behaviour
• Expressing feeling like they don't fit in
• Low moods
• Making social comparisons
• Trouble sleeping
• Trying out new hair or clothing styles.

One of the most effective ways in which parents can help their school-aged children resist peer pressure is to help them develop a strong sense of their own identity and their own opinions, and you can do this by asking open questions.

For example, let children choose music for drives in the car, and ask them questions like:

• Why do you like this song?
• How does this song make you feel?
• What other types of music do you like? Why is that?

Help them develop their own style by asking questions like:

• What’s your favourite colour combination?
• Why do you like long/short hair?
• How does that outfit make you feel?

Help them develop their own opinions about important issues, by asking questions like:

• What do you think about the situation?
• Why do you think the government said X, Y or Z?
• What would you do if you were in government? Why is that?

When you routinely ask children non-judgemental questions and accept their opinions you help the seeds of self-confidence and self-assurance grow, and these are the very elements children and teens need to withstand negative peer pressure.

• Topics:

• Living and Lifestyle
• Mental Health & Wellbeing