Rachel's Challenge #3 - Choose positive influences

For the past three weeks, I have written about Rachel’s Challenge and the five individual challenges posed to our students on Oct. 11.
 Challenge #1 was to: “Look for the best in others – eliminate prejudice.”
 Challenge #2 was to: “Dream big – write your goals – start a journal.”
Rachel’s Challenge #3 is to “Choose positive influences”. Common sense and our human experiences teach us that all kids but particularly middle schoolers are easily susceptible to the influences of their peers. The website Family First Aid reports:

“There are some startling statistics about peer pressure, and what teenagers feel pressured to do. This pressure may be fairly straightforward, with some teens pressuring others to take part in certain activities. In some cases, though, peer pressure is a little more subtle, with clues given to teens that they won't be "cool" if they don't participate, even without the overt pressure to do what everyone else is doing. Here are some statistics about peer pressure:
• The Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge Base reports that right around 30% if teens are offered drugs in middle school and high school.
• According to the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 74.3% of high school students have tried alcohol.
• 3.1 million teenagers smoke, according to the American Lung Association.
• The Kaiser Foundation reports that about 50% of teenagers feel pressured with regard to sex in relationships.
You can see that the peer pressure is on to engage in behaviors that may not be healthy, physically or emotionally, for your teenager. While some teens choose some behaviors when they are ready, many feel rushed into decisions that they are not quite ready to make. Many end up overwhelmed by the consequences of their efforts to fit in with their peer group. It is vitally important that you help your teenager develop the self-confidence to withstand peer pressure, and make his or her own decisions.” http://www.familyfirstaid.org/peer-pressure.html

Parents can help their kids choose positive influences and deal with peer pressure in several ways according to Family First Aid:
1. Have open lines of communication with your child.
2. Have clear expectations about their behavior.
3. Know their friends
4. Be involved in their activities
5. Talk about issues
6. Pick your battles
It is my experience that who a child hangs out with is an excellent predictor of the child’s behavior. Charles Reichle wrote: “Be around the people you want to be like, because you will be like the people you are around.” If you don’t like the way your child is behaving, ask who he or she is hanging out with at school. Then help your child analyze the friendship to see if it is having a positive or negative influence on him or her. Children need guidance. They have parents for a reason and one of the main reasons is to help them make wise choices. Take time to talk to your child about the influences in his or her life. You might just save their life.