The 3 C’s to Guiding Your Kids through Peer Pressure

2 min read

 

Every child faces peer pressure.  I faced it, my five kids faced it, and their kids will face it too. That pressure can be positive or negative.

Perhaps your teen is currently facing harmless pressures, like having friends who encourage him to try and drink a whole pack of sodas at once.  Or maybe your child is facing more serious pressures like being persuaded to try drugs with friends or sneak out late at night with a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Your goal should not be to protect your kids from all pain, but you should do your best to protect them from pain that is permanent.

As a parent, you know better than anyone that your kids aren’t perfect—and they won’t be perfect in handling negative peer pressure.

So, to help you to know how to help them, here are the 3 C’s to guiding your kids through peer pressure:

1. Communicate.

Helping your child overcome negative peer pressure first requires that you are aware of what is going on in your child’s life.  More often than not, kids will try to handle things on their own and end up making more mistakes because of it.  Establishing an open line of communication between you and your child allows him to feel comfortable trusting you and sharing his struggles with you.  To create that strong sense of communication, try spending time getting to know your child’s friends. Also, check out The Best Conversation Starters for Teenagers and be sure to learn How to Stay Joined at Hip and Heart with Your Teen.

2. Coach.

You won’t always be able to make decisions for your child or tell them exactly what to do.  But, part of your responsibility as their parent is to train them now for future situations in which they may find themselves. You don’t need to give your teen specific answers to every problem life throws their way, but you should coach him and instill virtues in your child that will help him make choices for himself—virtues like honesty, integrity, wisdom, and patience.  Once you’ve learned How to Teach Integrity to Your Kids, among other virtues, they will be better equipped to handle peer pressure in the future. Let’s coach our kids to stand up for what’s right, stand strong when attacked, and stand out in the crowd!

3. Catch.

Your kids will have great moments of success in handling negative peer pressure…but they will also have moments of failure. Your kids need you to cheer them on when they succeed and be there to catch them when they fall.

What are some of the negative peer pressures your child is currently facing?  How are you handling it? Leave a comment.

 

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