Teens Handling Peer Pressure
Posted: Monday, August 22, 2011
by Chiradeep
e-Counseling
Peers are the children or youth of same age. Age-mates who provide a supportive network for the children, or youth are called Peer-group. The influence of the Peer group that pressurizes a child or a youth to behave in a certain way is called Peer Pressure. Peers and friends play important roles for the normal development of a child or youth.
Peer pressure can be negative or positive and can be handled properly by individuals according to their own value system. For example if a youth has proper knowledge of right or wrong, then he/she can recognize the negative peer pressure and avoid it or allows the positive Peer pressure to influence. Our value system does play a major role in handling peer pressure but sometimes despite of our value system youth find it difficult to say ‘No’ to a negative Peer pressure. In this case the youth need to learn few skills to say ‘No’ to Peer pressure, which has negative influence on them. The skills are as follow-
- Be strong in Decision-Making: It is always important to take decisions that your value system approves of. Listen to your conscience. Never take decisions with excitement or emotion. Lean not on your own understanding but prayerfully wait on the Lord while taking decisions.
- Listen to advice: Proverbs 8:33 says, ‘Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.’ Proverbs 19:20 says, ‘Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.’ Proverbs 4:1 says, ‘Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.’ So never despise the instructions or advice of an elder.
- Confide everything with one of the family members: Ecclesiastes 4:9 says ‘Two are better than one; (because they have a good reward for their labour.’) Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, ‘And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.’ So it is always better to confide with someone before taking any steps, so that he/she can advise you or help you when you are in trouble.
- Learn to say ‘NO’: Proverbs 19:27 says, ‘Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge.’ Do not think that if you say ‘NO’ then it will affect your friendship. If it affects let it happen. You can again win back that friendship. But if you listen to a wrong influence then later guilt will keep on tormenting you forever.
- Stay away: As it is written in2 Timothy 2:22, ‘Flee also youthful lusts.’ Many times it is difficult to say ‘NO’ and at this time fleeing away or staying away from the situation or bad peers is always better. Proverbs 3:7 says, ‘be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.’ 1 Timothy 6:11 says, ‘But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.’ Keep the good influence on always, which will help you to stay away from evil influence.
“Studies indicate that the youth with strong family ties tend to rely less on Peers and more on family members for advice and guidance; these without strong family ties tend to rely more heavily on Peers to provide self-esteem.”
So, young friends! My earnest request is keep relationship with your family members so strong that you wont have to rely on your friends while taking decisions. Please involve them in your business. Remember! You are precious for them.
Stay Blessed!
This Article has been viewed 646 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Wonderful article. A "three fold cord" scripture is one that more people could use in their lives. Great writing and full of your usual conscientious and care full creativity!
Yours,
Christofer
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.