How To Avoid Peer Pressure
“Avoiding Peer Pressure”.
Let us define the following.
Peers – a person who is equal to another in abilities qualifications, age, background and social status.
Peer pressure – influence from members of one’s peer group by changing their attitude, values, behaviors to conform to these individual
Today I will be sharing with you how you can deal with peer pressure:
Brainy’s Approach To Handling or Dealing with Peer Pressure:
Refuse to oblige or accept their request of being friends with them. Especially when you are offered something you don’t want e.g. drugs, implicative ideas, unwanted sex, and pregnancy.
Peer pressure is a big issue with Kids & Teens. They can be pressured into sex, hanging out with bad crowd, drugs, drinking, change of their look and personality
Tell them NO – say NO and stay firm on your decision. This will save you from future pressure from these kids e.g. “sorry, I can’t do such ok”.
Make a joke – turn down their request into a joke. e.g. “I’m not ready to do ‘adult things’ yet. I still have a lot of growing up to do”.
Change the subject – when someone asks or tells a child or Teen to do something that you don’t want to do, you can respond by avoiding the subject. Change the subject, respond. Remember something that you wanted to tell them e.g. did you visit the new shopping mall at Satellite Town?
What about the Grocery Bazaar close to De Tehillah Montessori School?
Think of an excuse to take a French leave or leave them after you have made excuse for why you must leave quickly. Apologize and leave e.g. make a call and reply… “am on my way now”
– remember meeting you must attend
– complain the day is moving too fast, say you are extremely tired… I need rest.
Turn the pressure down. Use this chance as a Kid or Teen or Adult to change their behavior instead of letting them change yours. This can be scary but it will go the furthest to saving you from peer pressure and maybe even help someone you care about.
E.g. Why are you having sex already, are you really ready to be a mother at age 11 or do you really want to live all the days of your life with HIV, STD, AIDSwill goetc.
To Avoid Problems of Peers
Be careful who you hang out get. Avoid teens, kids, adults who always gets into situations like a street fight, stealing, raping, womanizing etc.
Avoid situations that lead to peer pressure in the first place.
e.g parties with no adult supervision
an invitation to a man’s house without the knowledge of your parents or an idea of where you are going to
Keep up with healthy activities or get busy with side jobs to keep you busy or visit the local library, read up, write articles, do something useful with your life.
Find better ways to impress people. Wanting to impress your friends is one of the most common reasons we give into peer pressure. Start learning a new cool skill.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice from a modest and responsible adult. Talk to a trusted adult and your parents about the things that you are observing in your friends
ALSO READ: 10 Tips for Parenting Adult Children
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