Peer pressure is when friends or people your age influence what you do, think, or feel. It can be positive or negative. Knowing how to recognize and handle peer pressure is an important life skill!
ββ Two Kinds of Peer Pressure
β Positive Peer Pressure
Friends encouraging you to make good choices:
- π Study hard for exams together
- π Join a sports team or activity
- π€ Stand up for someone being bullied
- π₯ Make healthy food choices
- π« Say no to harmful substances
β Negative Peer Pressure
Friends pushing you toward risky or wrong choices:
- π¬ Try alcohol, drugs, or vaping
- π Skip school or break rules
- π Bully or exclude others
- π± Share inappropriate content
- π Shoplift or steal
π Recognizing Peer Pressure
Warning Signs
You might be experiencing negative peer pressure if:
- π° You feel uncomfortable or worried
- π¬ You're doing something you know is wrong
- π You're afraid of what friends will think
- π You're hiding your actions from family
- π€· You're making excuses like "everyone does it"
π‘οΈ How to Handle It
Strategies for Saying No
- β Just say no β simple and direct
- π€· Give a reason β "I have training" or "My parents would find out"
- π Change the subject β suggest something else to do
- πΆ Walk away β remove yourself from the situation
- π« Stick with allies β find friends who share your values
- π Use humor β lighten the mood
- π Blame someone else β "My coach would kill me"
π What Would You Do?
Scenario
Your friends are planning to skip class and hang out at the mall. They're pressuring you to come, saying "Don't be boring!" and "No one will find out."
Think about:
- What could go wrong?
- How would you feel afterwards?
- What could you say to decline?
βοΈ Activities
Activity: Practice Your Response
Write what you could say in these situations:
- Friends want you to vape: "__________"
- Someone dares you to do something dangerous: "__________"
- You're pressured to exclude someone: "__________"
Three things I value that help me make good choices:
π©βπ« Teacher Notes
Curriculum Links
- Health: Personal identity, relationships
- Hauora: Taha hinengaro (mental wellbeing)
Facilitation: Use role-play to practice refusal skills.