Although teenage lasts for just a few years, it is still one of the most crucial stages of a person’s life as it is during this time that some of the most important decisions have to be made. Unfortunately, they end up getting influenced by their peers to an unacceptable extent, consequently agreeing to things that may not be in their favor at all. Decision making among teens and peer pressure has a very strong relationship, and mostly a negative one.

The question is not how to avoid peer pressure, but rather how to avoid negative peer pressure. We’ve got a few tips that you may want to share with your teens.

Think about the Consequences

You need to help your young ones understand that before taking any decision, they need to weigh the consequences and determine if they are ready to face them. Rather than acting impulsively or blindly following the crowd, they should think long and hard before choosing their path. By putting in a decent amount of time into the decision making process, they increase the chances of making a decision they won’t later regret. Peer pressure, on the other hand, may lead to making a choice with far-reaching consequences.

Being Different is Normal

What a lot of teens fail realize is that it’s perfectly normal to be unique and express their difference of opinion. They don’t need to jump on the bandwagon and follow what others are saying or doing instead of listening to what their own mind or heart is asking of them. They may eventually realize that they are unhappy and gradually losing their own individuality. Rather than waiting for this stage to come and open their eyes, they need to start accepting their uniqueness and embracing their own ideas and preferences. They don’t really need to copy others to make it through the school or college without attracting unnecessary attention.

The Difference between Friends and a Company

The sooner your teens manage to understand the difference between real friends and a company, the sooner they’ll find themselves making decisions on their own rather than simply going with the flow. Help them realize that real friends don’t make demands, especially ones that are blatantly unwise and irresponsible. Also, friends are perfectly fine and even appreciate each other’s uniqueness. Company, on the other hand, requires all its components to be somewhat similar and are prone bully those who have rejected the. What your teen should be searching for are friends, not a company to get through the teen years. This way, they would remain safe from peer pressure and won’t have to hide, modify or kill their feelings, interests, priorities, preferences, and dreams.