Peer pressure. Everyone faces it, but depending on the situation it can have its own affects on a person. During the developmental process, children hit a stage where the advice from someone their own age is more beneficial in their eyes verses an adult. Often peer pressure is given a negative connotation, but this doesn’t always isn’t the case. Associating yourself with a positive group of people and having their “peer pressure” can be a good thing. Such as if your peers pressured you into taking another class in school which could better your GPA, or pressure you into joining a club which could open more doors towards bettering your future. Depending on how you take their inputs the decision you make is ultimately something that you will have to decide for yourself. Although there are many negative affects depending on the way you look at it they positive can override the negative.
Throughout the years, many parents face the fear of their child getting involved within the “wrong” crowd. Peer pressure can have a positive influence on a child. Relating yourself around children that share similar interests with you will help guide you on the path of making optimistic choices. With having positive friends can help encourage you academically, by becoming a motivating factor towards you and getting along with others. Children with affirmative behaviors can also serve as a protective function as time passes. By having school becoming challenging, surrounding yourself around a good steady group of acquaintances can be a great example of positive peer pressure. (Padilla-Walker & Bean 2009) Although there are many ways to achieve a goal by yourself, with the help of people around you it can make the task much simpler. Whenever a child sees the actions of someone around them and sees the astonishing outcome, it can help stimulate them into being able to behave in the upbeat manner as their friend.
However, depending on the child’s gender can also differentiate the behavior expected from him or her. Although boys are reported to have higher negative peer association it doesn’t always have to be the case. (Padilla-Walker & Bean 2009) Parents should instill a mechanism and break the cycle of misbehavior. Self-esteem is a tender subject between both girls and boys, but yet it is the boys that also have a negative involvement within this. Being in their teen years kids take advice more seriously from someone in their situation because there is a relatable aspect between them. Between genders even though girls have a higher positive peer association, social initiative, they also are more likely to get depressed than boys. (Padilla-Walker & Bean 2009) Children all behave differently, but if they all follow the right path there shouldn’t be a need for negativity amongst each other. Being a good influence on children your age can help spread positive peer pressure. Whenever something is happening that shouldn’t be, be the one to stand up and take a stand by stopping the negativity. Whenever you stop the negativity you will not only prevent something bad from happening, but your actions may open the eyes of the people around you and stop them from acting in destructive ways.
Furthermore by staying effective and busy with extracurricular activities provides not only