Everyone talks about peer pressure on teens, but just how bad it is? Odds are, it’s not as bad as most parents think. Parents may lay awake at night worrying about what other kids will force their children to do.
But “when we talk to young people, they tell us this vision of peer pressure is extremely rare,” says Stephen Wallace, senior advisor for policy, research, and education of Students Against Destructive Decisions.
Wanting to be more like your friends is a normal part of being a teenager. Peer influence or peer pressure isn’t always a bad thing, but sometimes it might be a concern for you or your child. If this happens, there are things you can do to help manage it.
Peer Pressure & Peer Influence 