From an early age, peer relationships play a critical role in childrens’ social and emotional development. Not only can other kids shape their hobbies, clothing styles, and music tastes, but peer groups can also influence a child’s values, choices, and behaviors.
As kids start spending time at school and in extracurricular activities during their teenage years, this peer influence increases. With less control over who your child interacts with outside of the home, it’s important to teach kids from a young age how to make healthy decisions and effectively deal with peer pressure.
Types of Peer Pressure
Peer pressure comes in many forms and a child’s friends can have both a negative and positive influence.
Positive Peer Pressure
In many cases, peers are positive and supportive. For instance, maybe your child was inspired by a friend to read a new book and now they can’t put it down. Maybe a classmate encouraged your child to try out for the soccer team, which helped them foster a strong sense of community outside of school.
Through a supportive peer group, kids can build a positive relationship with other friends, develop effective communication skills, and learn to make more informed decisions.
Negative Peer Pressure
On the other hand, peers can also have a negative influence. This includes pressuring others to engage in risky activities, encouraging negative behaviors, or urging other kids to participate in dangerous situations. For example, a child may feel pressure from their peers to skip class or pull a prank on another classmate.
In any case, negative peer pressure is a tricky situation that can impact a child’s self-esteem and lead to the development of risky behaviors and habits.
Books About Peer Pressure
While it’s normal for kids to make new friends and adopt new interests as they figure out who they are, it’s also important that they feel comfortable to be themselves — even if it means being different from their peers.
One of the most effective ways to help your child embrace individuality and resist negative peer pressure is to spend time together reading about it. Through captivating illustrations, relatable characters, and engaging storylines, books are a great resource to cultivate self-esteem and teach healthy decision-making.
For instance, in the picture book I Am Enough, readers learn to love themselves for exactly who they are! This is a feel-good book that empowers all readers to stay true to themselves, while teaching valuable tools on how to deal with negative peer pressure.
Meanwhile, Just Jaime shares the story about two middle school girls, Jaime and Maya, who have been close friends since they were little. However, on the last day of seventh grade, Jaime is voted out of their friend group. This book conveys to kids the impact of social pressure and conformity and highlights the importance of self awareness and individuality.
Shop books about standing up to peer pressure below now! You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store.
