Peer Pressure

Caught red-handed: Your teen's a thief

Michelle Maffei — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:00:00 -0800

When your teenager has been caught stealing, is it simply rebellious behavior or a cry for help? Before you risk pushing your youngster into shutting you out completely, review these parenting tips on how to deal with teen behavior when your child has been caught red-handed: Your teen's a thief.

Nurturing an edgy teen

Maria Mora — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 13:00:00 -0800

If you have a child who doesn’t fit in, don’t focus on the negative aspects of being different. Embrace your child’s unique qualities and mold-breaking behaviors. Learn how to support a teen who doesn’t color inside the lines.

How to have a back-to-school drug talk with your child

Maria Mora — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0700

Before your teen returns to school in the fall, sit down for a serious talk about drug abuse. Learn how to do your research ahead of time, how to become a resource for your child, and how to dive into a conversation that will probably make both of you uncomfortable. This is a talk you can’t afford to skip.

Does ballet beget bulimics?

Monica Beyer — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:00:00 -0700

More than ever before, the focus in today’s pop culture is on body image. Who’s the skinniest? Who’s the heaviest? Who has the most shapely legs? The buffest arms? The best toned abs? Teens read, see, and hear these stories — and many of them are influenced in negative ways. But is it only pop culture, or a hobby like ballet, that can create an eating disorder? Experts offer theories about what makes a teen at risk for developing an eating disorder, and what parents can do about it.

Parenting Guru: Can girls dodge the drama years?

Julie Weingarden Dubin — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 08:00:00 -0700

Haley Kilpatrick was the new girl in middle school and an easy target for mean girls. She ate lunch alone in the girls’ bathroom to avoid being ostracized in the cafeteria. Things got better when an older girl in high school took her under her wing. Kilpatrick decided at age 15 to start Girl Talk, a program where high school girls mentor middle school girls. Today, the non-profit organization has more than 40,000 participants each year in 43 states and six countries, with a mission to help middle school girls build self-esteem and develop leadership skills. Kilpatrick, author of the new book, The Drama Years: Real Girls Talk About Surviving Middle School – Bullies, Brands, Body Images, and More, shares her secrets with SheKnows on surviving middle school.

Kids and sexting

Julie Weingarden Dubin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:00:00 -0800

In 2010, a Brooklyn school suspended 32 students for sexting . Last year more than 21 states introduced bills or resolutions aimed at sexting. Crackdowns on sexting help parents, but how do you tackle the topic at home?

How to handle parenting peer pressure

Laura Owens — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:30:00 -0800

It starts the second you tell the world you’re pregnant: the avalanche of well-meaning advice. For moms wading through the piles of “you shoulds," the pressure can feel overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you stay true to yourself and your family while you move through motherhood.

Teaching children to embrace their differences

Ami Burns — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 09:05:00 -0700

Everyone feels different at some point in her life. Rather than focusing on differences in a negative way, parents can teach their children to embrace their differences. This can be easier said than done -- so here are some expert teaching tips.

5 Ways to help your teen resist negative peer pressure

Jen Klein — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:45:00 -0700

The teen years are no picnic -- for your child or for you as a parent. There are hormones, school pressure and mood swings -- and perhaps the largest looming of them all: Peer pressure. Will your angelic daughter succumb to the influence of her peers and start making less than stellar choices? Will your sweet mama’s boy turn into a being you don’t recognize, either inside or out, because of the influence of his friends? While there is no guarantee it won’t happen that way, you can take some steps to try to head it off.

Using peer pressure to your parenting advantage

Jen Klein — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:30:00 -0700

You likely remember your parents warning you about the dangers of peer pressure. “If your friend jumped off a cliff, would you do it, too?” or other some such admonition. But, lo and behold, when the social dynamic was different -- say you were hanging out with the honor society kids -- suddenly your parents were admonishing you to do what they did. Huh? Wasn’t the influence of the honor roll kids “peer pressure,“ too? Double standard, much?

How to recognize when peer influence turns to pressure

Jen Klein — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 07:54:00 -0700

As much as we talk about helping kids to resist “peer pressure,” it exists. Even for the most self-assured, independent-thinking child, social dynamics and peer relationships are an influence on behaviors and attitudes. Your kids may tell you that peer pressure isn’t so bad -- and may actually believe that themselves -- but the role of peers in actions and decisions making is strong, and sometimes almost invisible. When your daughter chooses a specific shirt in the store or your son pushes a little too hard during gym, peer influence likely played a role.

Monday Mom challenge: Don’t give in to peer pressure

Jen Klein — Mon, 30 May 2011 06:50:00 -0700

How many times have you had a talk with your child about peer pressure and social dynamics? Think for yourself, you say. Don’t allow others’ actions and pressure to interfere with what you know to be correct, you implore. But at the same time, are you giving in to peer pressure in your social group? Peer pressure isn’t just for kids!

Prom peer pressure

Michelle Maffei — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:10:00 -0700

As if being a high schooler isn’t tough enough, the pressures of prom can weigh heavily on your teen. Here are some tips on how to talk about what’s expected of her, some of the situations she may find herself in, and how you can be there to help your teenager deal with prom peer pressure.

Helping your teen make positive friendships

Jen Klein — Thu, 13 May 2010 10:01:00 -0700

Adolescents and teens may look more and more like adults, but their judgment and decision making is decidedly not adult. This goes for just about everything, including friendships. Helping your older child manage friendships is a tricky business - and plays into your relationship with your child. You want to help, you want to guide, you want to give them the tools they need, and you want to protect your relationship with your child - but you're still the parent and you still have an important role to play in your child's life and relationships.

Helping teens combat peer pressure

Abbi Perets — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 14:12:00 -0800

What is the best way to help your teen combat peer pressure? If you had a nickle for every time your tween told you that "everyone else" is doing whatever she wants to be doing at that very moment, chances are you'd be a rich woman. What's the right response to this oh-so-compelling logic?