One of the most significant issues that young people face today, and have done so since the beginning of recorded history, is the influence of their peers. When children are younger than the age of adolescence, they are more likely to pay attention to their parents and older relatives. However, as children reach the age of adolescence, they stop paying attention to their parents and relatives. At this point in their lives, they pay more attention to the opinions of their pals than they do to those of anybody else on the planet. There has been an issue here since the beginning of time. Are you a parent who finds that your children are heavily impacted by their fellow students to the point where they no longer listen to what they have to say? Or are you struggling with the effects of peer pressure and looking for a way to alleviate them? You are the target audience for this article.
WHAT IS PEER PRESSURE?
It is natural for young individuals to worry about not being accepted by their peers. In the lives of young people, particularly during the adolescent years, the significance of their relationships with their friends cannot be overstated. The term “peer pressure” refers to the influence that these groups can have on how an individual feels about themselves and how they behave in relation to other people. If you pay attention to the people your child interacts with and the topics they discuss, you can frequently figure out who your child’s classmates are. Parents have a very important role to play in helping their teens understand how peer pressure works, including when it can be good and when it can be bad, and how they can build their own sense of self.
EFFECTS OF PEER PRESSURE
It’s possible that you link peer pressure with undesirable outcomes, such as your youngster’s experimenting with substances like alcohol, cigarettes, etc. However, there are some groups that can exert a good influence on your child even when they are subject to the negative effects of peer pressure. There is no way to predict for sure how your child will be impacted by what will happen. The choices that your child makes in any aspect of their life, from the types of music they like to the subjects they decide to study in school can be influenced by the pressures that they feel from their peers. The following is a list of both positive and negative outcomes that can be caused by peer pressure:
Positive Effects of Peer Pressure
The influence of one’s peers can be useful in a variety of ways. When it comes to positive peer pressure, encouragement and support are frequently more important than actual pressure or persuasion. In the highest possible regard, it instills a sense of passion within the person, which, in addition, compels that person to overcome the challenge and achieve a significant goal. The following are some instances of healthy forms of peer pressure:
Establishing a collaboration for academic purposes
Your youngster and his or her friends likely discuss their math class on a fairly consistent basis. They are fully aware that it is the most difficult class they have ever taken. There is a significant amount of information that needs to be covered, and their instructor provides challenging examinations on a weekly basis. One of them put out the idea that they should join together and do their studies as a group so that they could assist one another in completing the remaining assignments. Everyone thinks that this is an excellent suggestion, and we all agree with them.
Putting a halt to gossiping
Friends with optimistic mindsets make a point to avoid participating in gossip whenever possible because they prefer to utilize their time on more productive activities, such as participating in group discussions that cover the syllabus.
Peer pressure can make a person feel better about themselves, which can help them find hobbies and interests that are good for them and help them keep doing good things and having good ideas.
Negative Effects of Peer Pressure
The negative effects of peer pressure can manifest themselves in a variety of different ways, any of which can cause harm to a person. If a person is unwilling to carry out a task, then the pressure from their peers might be quite confusing for that person. Peer pressure can lead to a number of bad things, such as becoming more distant from family and friends, being more likely to do dangerous things, spending less time on schoolwork, etc.
- dramatic changes in behavior and outlook on life
- Engaging in bullying or cyber bullying
- Giving out a deceptive or false impression on social networking platforms.
- Engaging in dishonest behavior such as cheating or duplicating the work of another person or allowing others to copy your own work is a crime.
TOP 8 AMAZING SUGGESTIONS FOR OVERCOMING NEGATIVE PEER PRESSURE
- Take responsibility for your choices.
You should engage in activities that bring you joy, and you should make your own decisions regarding these activities. It’s possible that some individuals will invite you to participate in an activity that will help you grow by challenging you to step outside of your comfort zone, but it’s important to remember that there are also potential drawbacks to this.
If you are on the verge of making a choice, you should first ask yourself, “Do I stand to benefit from this? Is there a chance that this could improve my life in some way? Are you sure you want to know how I feel about it? “Do not base your choices on what other people believe is best for you or what they want you to do based on their perspective.
- Justify your actions.
It should not be necessary to offer an explanation or apologize when one chooses to respond with the word “no.” However, if you are prepared with an explanation, it may be simpler for you to decline the offer. You might explain your refusal by stating that you have a medical condition, such as asthma or allergies that makes it potentially harmful for you to consume anything. Or even just saying that you need to return home because your parents want you there, if you believe that getting away from the situation entirely is the best option.
- You should try to avoid places or activities that make you feel uneasy.
If you have reason to believe that certain individuals are planning to get together prior to an event in order to consume alcohol or other substances, you should notify those individuals that you will see them at the event itself. If you can avoid being in situations where you might be tempted to give in to peer pressure, you will have a much easier time dealing with it.
You should have faith in your gut instincts. If you have the impression that something is not quite right, you shouldn’t be afraid to change your plans. Do not be afraid to leave a party if you find that you are beginning to feel uncomfortable while you are there.
- If you do not feel comfortable answering the questions being asked, you should change the subject.
By avoiding the question, you can give the impression that you are still interested but do not wish to reply to it. It’s possible that this will result in additional pressure in the future. However, changing the subject will at least buy you some time till you feel like you are ready to react to the question.
Alternately, you might try to change the subject by asking, “Would you want to go for a walk with me?” I’ve been having this intense desire to go for a stroll with a friend or partner.
- Establish a plan of action.
Consider what you would say if you were ever asked to do anything that you didn’t want to, even if you haven’t yet been subjected to the effects of peer pressure or if you just want to be better prepared for the next time it happens. If you have a response prepared in advance, when you are asked a question, you won’t feel as if you are under pressure, and you will already know what to say. Avoid getting off course by trying to dissuade other people from the notion. Make remarks beginning with “I” and keep your attention on your own stance.
- Explain the situation to your parents.
Your parents’ primary goal is to encourage and assist you in achieving your goals in life. If you’re having trouble with the influence of your peers, you should seek their assistance. It’s possible that they have some suggestions about how to deal with it. At the very least, you should request that they hear you out and try to comprehend what you’ve been through.
At the very least, they should embrace you and let you know how much they care about you. Even if it may be hard or challenging to talk with them, consider how much more difficult it would be to talk to them about how you followed your buddies into major problems and how embarrassing it was for you.
- Pick companions who will lift you up.
As a first step in overcoming the effects of peer pressure, choose people who won’t put pressure on you to participate in activities as a first step in Your friends ought to love and accept you exactly as you are, without having any desire to alter that. If the choices that your friends don’t make are good ones, then it’s less likely that you will be as well.
Pick your friends based on how much you enjoy being with them, not on whether or not they are “cool” or popular. They should like and care for you just because of who you are. Make an effort to connect with people who have interests similar to your own.
- Seek guidance and counseling.
Seek the assistance of a responsible adult that you can trust, such as a parent, a teacher, or a school counselor. Someone you can confide in will not only listen to you, but also provide guidance on potential solutions that could improve your circumstances.
CONCLUSION
Instead of simply warning your child about the dangers of negative peer pressure, you might want to consider providing them with some advice on how to set and follow positive examples in their peer group.
Not only should you reassure them that they don’t have to go along with everyone else in order to make friends, but you should also teach them how to influence their peers to make decisions that are better for their health.
They will be better prepared for future success if they cultivate compassionate practices, exhibit positive friendship behaviors, and remain loyal to who they are as individuals. Reading this article will help both parents and adolescents and any other person.
