Peer Pressure

The textbook described peer pressure in a way that seems much different than the way that I've always heard peer pressure described. As I'm sure most of us have thought of peer pressure throughout our lives, I've always linked the idea of it to our peers pressuring us to do "bad" things. The textbook explains the other side of peer pressure, however. It describes adolescents deciding to join a sport team because their peers did, rejecting drugs because their peers did, or applying for college because their peers did. I certainly experienced this growing up. I decided not to do drugs (including alcohol) until I was 23 years old, because as an adolescent I looked up to the Straight Edge hardcore bands that I used to go watch play. They didn't do drugs or drink, so many of their fans followed that same path because we wanted to do what they were doing. In this way, peer pressure can lead to good outcomes and experiences. However, I have a tendency to think that even this form of peer pressure isn't ideal, though I understand it's a matter of fact among adolescents who are searching for a concrete identity. I think it will be important to try to teach my children that peer pressure, whether it results in good or bad outcomes, is not ideal. I will try to explain, as I believe to be true, that we should be making decisions based much more off of what we want and what we feel rather than what our peers around us are doing. If this means not applying for college even though all of their peers are doing it, I will appreciate and respect the decision if accompanied with a certain level of thought and reason. In either instance, however, I will remain engaged with my children to ensure that they are happy with the decisions that they make, regardless of how they came to those decisions.