Negative Peer Pressure

Dealing with peer pressure in the teenage years is never an easy task. We all get swayed and influenced by the latest fashion, music, television and movies. And getting influenced by our peer groups is perfectly normal. However, the way one is getting influenced by a peer group must be taken into account as that can lead to various positive and negative consequences. During adolescent years, children can either be positively or negatively influenced by their friends.

Since teenage is a developing phase, children are immature and so they are not able to differentiate between "friends" and "true friends". This is where the role of parents and teachers comes into picture. The child may be falling into the trap of negative habits, under the influence of peer pressure, due to some family problems or he might not be getting the desired love and care from his home.

Examples
If you are a teenager, you can yourself understand the various moments when you have been negatively influenced by your friends. It may be the first time you took a whiff of cigarette that was offered to you by your friend or when you for the first time had a sip of alcohol. Understanding negative peer pressure is important for teenagers. For instance, remember the first time when you were offered a cigarette in a group of your friends and you said an emphatic "NO" to the request. However, even after you said no, your friends kept insisting you to smoke. Ultimately, you end up smoking a cigarette for the first time.

Gradually, they ensure that you do enjoy with them every time you hang out with them, and eventually you end up developing unhealthy habit of smoking. Teenagers must learn to exercise self control and once if they have made a firm decision as not to do anything that is not allowed by their logic, ethics, values and heart, they must stick to their decision. The ability to say "NO" is necessary to avoid doing what you really don't want to do.

Role of Parents
The statistics related to peer pressure is alarming and they show that majority of teenagers who are addicted to negative habits have been influenced by a peer group who motivated them to do such things. Kids and children need unconditional love and trust from their parents to get out of negative peer groups. Parents can teach children some positive values like assertiveness, independence and individuality. They must make children understand the power of saying "No" at the right time.

Children must be trained to stand up for what they believe in so that no external influences can affect them to a large extent. Parents must find out the root cause of peer pressure in their children like lack of self-confidence, emotional problems or academic pressures that are alluring their children to find solutions of such problems in negative things like alcohol, teen smoking, violence, drugs and in worst cases, involvement in unsafe sexual activities.

Parents must be aware of the potential of their child and they must help him to get engaged in pursuits that nurtures their creative talents. Being involved in pursuits like music, drawing, painting, reading , writing and sports and other activities helps teenagers to relieve academic and emotional stress. Right communication is the key to help children deal with such issues.

While love is essential to make your child understand that you really care for them, you can't be complacent to let them be totally free. Imposing necessary restrictions since childhood and training them to follow it is a very good discipline that parents must develop in their children. The safest and most adequate method to avoid children from negative influences of peer pressure is a very lovable and supportive family. If the child is getting all love, care, attention and his needs are met adequately in the family, he will certainly be able to grow up into a responsible adult and will understand the value of living a balanced life.