Encouraging Your Child to Resist Peer Pressure
Peer groups can have so much influence because belonging to a group really does offer something significant to a child or a young person. While most people associate peer pressure with teenagers there is a whole other side to peer pressure that is often overlooked: peer pressure among children. Even at 9 years old I find Tilly is influenced by her friends and wants to do the same things as them and have the same things as them too.
Surbiton High – an Independent School Kingston upon Thames, has put together the following advice to help us encourage our children to resist peer pressure.
Develop their confidence
It is important to teach your child to have the confidence to say ‘no’ when something makes them feel uncomfortable. It can be very easy to be influenced by the opinions of their friends or peers so make sure your little one knows how to stand up against the general consensus when needed. You need to teach them that is it okay to say no and that it doesn’t make them any less of a person if they do.
Invite their friends over
Make the time to get to know your child’s friends and encourage playdates in your home. This way you can both develop relationships as well as listen from afar to get more of an idea of the dynamic of the friendship. Spend time talking to your child about their relationships at school and if you have any concerns you can always ask their teacher for advice.
Communication is key!
The most important thing is to make sure your child knows that they can come to you with anything at any time. They might have already been in certain situations when they have felt uncomfortable or acted in a way they wouldn’t have, have discussions and listen carefully to everything they tell you. If they don’t feel comfortable coming to you, then make sure there is someone they can turn to if they feel they are being pressured by ‘friends’ at school.
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