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Peer pressure: Help your child be themselves

During adolescence, your child might want to avoid “standing out,” but there’s no need for them to pretend they’re something they’re not. Use ’s action checklist to help your child resist peer pressure and enjoy being themselves.

Peer pressure in adolescence

Even as an adult, a situation where you don’t know anyone can be daunting. When young people are thrown into this position, it sparks an internal battle. They desperately want to feel part of the community and fit in, but at the same time, they’re trying to express their individuality and personal style.

The tendency for young people to judge appearance

“Let’s be real: When girls walk into a room, they all check each other out,” says self-esteem coach . “At this point in her life, your daughter is noticing the different emotional and physical traits of her peers, comparing herself to her friends, starting to judge these as desirable or undesirable. This is compounded by the media, magazines, and movies. All of a sudden, the value of a certain type of appearance and personality is amplified.”

Starting at a new school or joining a new team are situations in which these comparisons come to the fore. Young people may begin to experiment with different looks, vocabulary, and social behavior.

These situations can also trigger a massive shift in young people’s attitudes towards their bodies and appearance, as they struggle to find their place in their social circles.

What is peer pressure doing to their confidence?

Take heart that these are serious situations your child needs to go through to work out who they really are and what’s important to them. It’s all part of growing up.

However, this can be a particularly vulnerable time for young people’s confidence as they figure out their place in the perceived social pecking order. Your son or daughter may be envious of others or find themselves the envy of their peers.

Help your child feel confident in themselves

So what can you do to help your child navigate this tricky territory, value their uniqueness, and safeguard their confidence? We’ve put together some practical suggestions in our action checklist. The main thing is to help them understand they shouldn’t let go of all the wonderful things that make them unique just to fit in.

There’s a phase when fitting in is the most important thing for a young person. This changes as they mature and develop their own interests, talents, and style. Over time, and with your support, they will work out which friends are “good” for them and which aren’t so good.

By helping your child identify what makes them unique and how they contribute to friendships, you can give them the confidence to be themselves, as well as recognize and appreciate diversity in others.

To protect privacy, we’ve changed the names of people whose stories we tell on these pages, but the stories are genuine.

• Tell your child how awesome they are. by complimenting specific characteristics. Focus on actions, skills, and personality rather than physical features
• Help them identify a supportive group of friends. Talk to your child about qualities that make a good friend. Does a great friend wear the same clothes as you? Or is being a good listener or considerate of someone’s feelings more important? Help them identify personality traits and characteristics they respect and admire
• Discuss what role they play in their group of friends. They might be a good listener, the one who cheers everyone up, or great at getting people involved
• Celebrate the diversity in their peer group. Compliment your child and their friends on the unique aspects of their appearance, but focus more on their beautiful personalities
• Find positive role models. Talk about people in your family or community, or in the public eye, who have admirable qualities. Identify role models who exemplify compassion, collaboration, overcoming adversity, and leadership. Be the kind of person you hope your child will grow up to be.

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