What is peer pressure anyway?
Peer pressure is when people your age start to put pressure on you to do something.
Peers can influence you both in a positive and a negative way. For example
if your friends want you to cut class that would be putting pressure on you
in a negative way. However, if your friends were putting pressure on you to
keep up your grades that would be positive peer pressure.
Why do we give into peer pressure?
Sometimes we give into peer pressue to be liked, or because we think other
kids will make fun of us if we don't do what they want us to. Some kids will
say to you, "Everyone's doing it." Sometimes we think it won't matter
if we only try it once or twice just to get our friends to stop bugging us,
but once you've given in the first time it is easier to be talked into it
the next time.
How can we deal with peer pressure?
You need inner strength to walk away from peer pressure. It isn't always
as easy as it sounds. The easiest way to deal with peer pressure is to
hang out with friends who make right choices most of the time. Another
way to deal with peer pressure is to plan ahead. First, make up your mind
now of those things you know you want to stay away from, make friends
who have the same standards as you, and have a plan of what you can say
or do if a circumstance comes up in which you need to make a choice.
For more information visit the following sites:
www.kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/peer_pressure_p2.html
