Peer Pressure

Issues of peer pressure often come up when children are at school, or when they begin spending more time with their peers (such as after school, at friends' houses, or in group activities). Every parent dreads it, but few can avoid it! Peer pressure impacts every age group, from elementary schoolers to tweens and teens.

As parents, it can be frustrating to know your child is experiencing pressure from their friends. Giving kids the tools they need to deal with this problem is really the best way you can help.

Getting feedback from other parents who have gone through the same thing, and learning what the experts advise, are the first steps in improving the situation. Our peer pressure articlesare a good resource, and a great place to start.

Getting Peer Pressure Facts

Of course friendships are important for children to have, and some friends are positive influences. There is both negative and positive peer pressure; the key is to teach your child to make the right choice for them, even when around the influence of their friends. This is often the only way you can "be there" to protect your child from negative influences.

As a parent it starts with giving kids the self-confidence they need, keeping lines of communication open, and knowing what your child is going through. Next, learning a foundation of peer pressure facts and peer pressure statistics can give you a better feel for these types of situations.

That's where the parenting tips and free resources on this website come in! As you understand the issue more fully, and the role you play in helping your child, then you can take steps to improving your child's ability to deal with social pressures. Get feedback from your child on how things are going. Where are they when they feel pressure from peers? How do they react? What do they find helps them? Open communication is key. Without it, you may not find out about peer pressure or other problems your child is going through until they become more serious.

Support for Dealing with Peer Pressure

Kids sharing their experiences can be therapeutic, and it will help you as the parent know if things are getting better or worse. If the peer pressure seems to be getting worse, and your child needs more help than you feel qualified to provide, then you might want to consider getting additional peer pressure support through counseling. A therapist may be able to provide insight, or approaches that you hadn't considered. Read and share peer pressure quotes on our blog! You might find that you’re experiencing exactly what another parent went through, or that you have just the answer for someone new to the issue.