Teen Peer Pressure: Raising Parental Awareness

    A little-known fact to young, new or first-timers to parenting, as well as some seasoned parents, is that teen peer pressure is among the most powerful influences upon an impressionable and/or troubled teen. The teen’s peer groups play a significant role in their development, sound-boarding choices and unfolding lives.

    A powerful negative teen peer pressure and influence can motivate a troubled teen to make problematic choices, and engage in behavior that home and family-based values would otherwise reject.

    Once under the influence of teen peer pressure, the at-risk or now troubled teen, may continue the slide into problems with the law, substance abuse, school problems, authority defiance, gang involvement and other behavioural problems, etc.

    Although parents may feel powerless as teen peer pressure seems to take over their troubled teen, there are things that can be done.

Driving Force: working on a counter measure - the personal and inner strength of the troubled teen can be utilized to bring about turnaround, alternatives and workable solutions and a different voice of influence than the peer group
Different Perspective: The challenge of maturity and strength, in lieu of punishment, is often a far more effective motivator, having teens address and deal with teen peer pressure and the demands and decisions before them, owning personal decisions proves useful
Insights: helping the troubled teen realize that his/her own well-being is of greater concern than the well-being of a negative group or peer.

The best way to take an active role in minimizing the negative impact is to not avoid, underestimate or dismiss the significance of peer group pressure BUT actually utilize it in a positive way and/or transformational force – challenging its energy and influence in the right direction fostering independence, strengths and responsibilities – turning potential adversarial “enemies” into full-time partners. In effect, utilizing teen peer pressure as a parenting tool and enabling force in the lives of our budding young adolescents helping good teens making bad choices do a 180 degree turn!