MONDAY:
Making decisions on your own is hard enough, but when other people get involved and try to pressure you one way or another it can be even harder. People who are your age, like your classmates, are called peers. When they try to influence how you act, to get you to do something, it's called peer pressure. It's something everyone has to deal with — even adults. TUESDAY: As you grow older, you'll be faced with some challenging decisions. Some don't have a clear right or wrong answer — like should you play football or basketball? Other decisions involve serious moral questions, like whether to skip school, try cigarettes, or lie to your parents. In these moments, your decisions become harder to make when your peers are all encouraging you to do the wrong thing. It is times like these where remembering your integrity (last week's word!) will help you make the right decision. WEDNESDAY: So why do people give in to peer pressure? Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids might make fun of them if they don't go along with the group. Others go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that "everyone's doing it" can influence some kids to leave their better judgment, or their common sense, behind. THURSDAY: It is tough to be the only one who says "no" to peer pressure, but you can do it. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do. Inner strength and self-confidence can help you stand firm, walk away, and resist doing something when you know better. It can really help to have at least one other peer, or friend, who is willing to say "no," too. This takes a lot of the power out of peer pressure and makes it much easier to resist. It's great to have friends with values similar to yours who will back you up when you don't want to do something. FRIDAY: You've probably had a parent or teacher advise you to "choose your friends wisely." Peer pressure is a big reason why they say this. If you choose friends who don't use drugs, skip school, smoke cigarettes, or lie to their parents, then you probably won't do these things either, even if other kids do. You should also try to help a friend who's having trouble resisting peer pressure. It can be powerful for one kid to join another by simply saying, "I'm with you — let's go." Even if you're faced with peer pressure while you're alone, there are still things you can do. You can simply stay away from peers who pressure you to do stuff you know is wrong. You can tell them "no" and walk away. Better yet, find other friends and classmates to hang around with. And always remember, the adults at school can help you beat any peer pressure. |
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