All teens face peer pressure. When I was in school, I faced pressure to have sex, to drink, to cheat on tests, to lie, to skip class, to skip school, etc. There was always someone pressuring me to do something wrong-and sometimes it was hard to say no.
Do you ever notice that we are never pressured to do the right thing? Isn't it funny how peer pressure is negative 90% of the time? And what's really sad is that it's usually our so called friends that are pressuring us. It's usually the people that pretend to care about you that are trying to get you to do things that aren't right-and sometimes they don't want to take no for an answer. If you can't tell your friends no, then that's a problem. No one should be afraid to tell their friends no.
If you find yourself being pressured by people that say they're your friends, you have to really ask yourself, "Are these people my friends, or are they just trying to get me in trouble?" Sometimes it's hard to accept that our friends don't have our best interest in mind, but these people aren't real friends. Don't worry. You can definitely find real friends. I'll tell you how a little bit later.
But first let's get to dealing with peer pressure. I'm going to give you some scenarios that you may face, (or probably have already faced) and then I'm going to tell you a few different ways you can respond to them.
1. Being Pressured to Have Sex?
Your Friends:"All of us had sex except for you. What the hell are you waiting on?"
Your Response:"I'm waiting until I'm ready. Why should I rush? I have my whole life ahead of me"
Your Boyfriend/Girlfriend: "Come on, baby. You know I love you. Can we have some fun?"
Your Response: "No. Why do you keep asking me? Real men/women don't push their friends into something they don't want to do."
Your Boyfriend/Girlfriend: "If you don't do it, I'm going to tell the whole school you're a virgin."
Your Response: "While you're at it, tell them it's because I have goals in life that are a little more important than getting laid."
2. Being Pressured to Use Drugs?
Your Friends:"We have some weed we're going to smoke after school. You wanna come?"
Your Response: "No. I'm not into weed. You shouldn't be either."
Your Friends: "You're such a prude. Lighten up a little, scaredy cat."
You're Response: "Don't you understand the word no? Maybe you're already high..."
Your Friends: "Look, we get high in this group. If you're not smoking then don't hang out with us!"
You're 3rd Response: "Good idea. That's about the smartest thing I've ever heard you say." (Then walk away)
3. Being Pressured to Use Alcohol?
Your Friends: "We're going to Erica's party on Friday and we're gonna get WASTED!!! Are you going?"
Your Response: "Yes, I'm going but I'm not going to be drinking. And if anyone gets wasted and does something stupid, then the whole school will to laugh at them. I don't think it's worth the embarrassment."
Your Friends: "You never had a tequila shot? Are you scared or something? You're a big baby!"
Your Response: No, I'm not scared. I'm just not interested in being an underage drunk idiot like some other kids. If that makes me a baby, then give me a pacifier."
4. Being Pressured to Shoplift?
Your Friends: "OMG! Look at this beautiful handbag! Would you hide it in your coat until we get outside?"
Your Response: "Are you crazy?! I'm not going to get in trouble for stealing a handbag that's going to be out of style in a couple of months."
Your Friends: "This video game is so cool. See if the clerk is looking at me. I'm going to stick it in my pocket."
Your Response: "If you walk out of here with that game, then I'm not going to walk with you. I'm going to let you get in trouble by yourself."
Your Friends: "You mess up all the fun! You act like you've never stole anything before!"
Your Response: "You messed up the fun when you resorted to stealing. I mean, what's so fun about taking things?"
5. Being Pressured to Sneak Out?
Your Friends: "Let's go to Jeff's party. Your parents won't find out."
Your Response: Yes, my nosey parents will find out-believe me."
Your Friends: "How about I come and pick you up at nine, then you sneak out the back door."
Your Response: "No, that won't work. If I sneak out, my parents are going to raise hell when they find out, and I don't feel like hearing it."
Your Friends: "Why are you so scared of your parents?"
Your Response: "Because our household rules isn't a democracy-it's a dictatorship."
I hope these simple tips gave you some great ideas on how to handle peer pressure. If you end up losing friends because of your responses, then those people weren't real friends.
source-voices.yahoo.com
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