When parents consider school-age peer pressure, perhaps they imagine the ways the child himself must resist the pressure. Although we’ll look at the child’s role in a later blog, there are parental roles that help reduce negative peer pressure for their school age children. Teach Your Children A great principal for reducing negative peer pressure…
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” —Dr. Seuss Since school age children are experiencing peer pressure, what does it look like? You may hear a child say, “If you’re my friend, you’ll play this game with me,” or “I’m…
Although the last five blogs highlighted parenting tips to help their school age children resist negative peer pressure, it is essential to remember that peer pressure isn’t always negative. Positive peer pressure assists school age children with reinforcing skills. An important example is demonstrating appropriate social behaviors. You may hound your kids about their manner…
Suspend Judgment Another tip for helping your school age children reduce negative peer pressure is suspending judgment when your child confides in you about his/her peers. 1 Sometimes the “friend” is actually the child him or herself so watch what you say. Your goal is to learn more about the situation by keeping communication open. Become…
Another parenting tip for helping reduce negative peer pressure for school age children is to become aware of “virtual” peer pressure and intervene early. A few months ago when I prepared this material for a group of school age parents in Ceres, California, I became distraught about the potential negative consequences of technology. Everyone Knows…
Here’s another parenting tip to help reduce negative peer pressure with your school age children. Mr. Rogers was Right Get to know the parents of your children’s friends and adults in your neighborhood. Most children attend elementary schools in the neighborhoods where they live; therefore, many of your children’s friends will live close by. Who are…
“The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.” —Walt Disney A generation ago, I didn’t teach parents of school-age children how to instruct their children about peer pressure. But times have changed. Unfortunately, peer pressure, is starting earlier; happening at lightning speed; on an unprecedented scale; and…