Peer Pressure Prevention

Peers are the most important influencers in your student’s life. As your student seeks social acceptance, they may be tempted to do things that they normally wouldn’t in an attempt to garner the support and approval of their peers.

Confidence
Students give in to peer pressure when they are seeking validation and acceptance. Belonging to a group and identifying with them is an important part of character development. If your teen feels like a member of your family and if they are confident and self-assured, they will be less likely to need external validation from friends. Build up the confidence of your students by spending time with them, complimenting them and congratulating them when they succeed. Avoid unconstructive criticism. Letting them do things for themselves shows that you trust them and have confidence in their abilities.

Code words
Pre-empt difficult peer pressure situations by discussing with your student what they would do when they find themselves in a situation where they feel uncomfortable. Discussing what to do in various situations will help to prepare them and give them options on how to deal with the situation in a mature and responsible manner. Have a code word that they can say in a phone conversation or text that lets you know that they are in over their heads. You can then call them or come and pick them up. Sure, you will have to look like the bad guy so that they are not embarrassed in front of their friends, but isn’t that better than them being pressured into doing something that they don’t want to?

Ask for help
If your students ask for your help in a situation, don’t punish them for reaching out. If they call you to pick them up from a place they weren’t supposed to be or help them out of a situation they shouldn’t have gotten into in the first place, then remember that even though they showed poor judgment initially, they had the good sense to ask for help. Knowing that they can ask you for help without retribution will encourage them to call you first if things start going wrong.

Ultimately, your student needs to learn to say no. They must learn to choose friends that are true friends and wouldn’t ask them to do things they don’t want to do. This is a learning process that you can guide them through. Remember that communication is the key to success here. Communication means that your students should be able to talk as well as listen. Create an atmosphere conducive to talking by really listening to them and offering constructive advice rather than criticism.

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