It’s only natural that you want to fit in with your peers and be accepted. Both children and adults feel like this, and they’re all vulnerable to taking the opinions of others. The desire to fit in, however, may start to establish during childhood, which may escalate in adulthood. Hence, it’s necessary to tame it from a young age. In this post, let’s explore how to protect your kids from peer pressure.
Let’s go!
The Power behind Peer Pressure
The desire to find out who you are can make you turn to friends who can relate and are probably going through the same issues. Since children spend time with friends either physically or online, it’s easy to find quick ways to solve their problems.
A good example is a girl with low self-esteem who spends a great deal of time on her friend’s social media page. She can decide that her friends are prettier because they wear makeup. Hence, she begins to indulge in makeup. Boys with low self-esteem can also indulge in risky behaviors, all in an attempt to belong to a set of circles or communities.
However, not all peer pressure is destructive. There is constructive peer pressure, but parents have to be extremely careful here. It would help if you only used higher achievers as a subtle reminder or influence to prevent your kids from comparing themselves with another person. As it is, all individuals have their strengths and weaknesses. So, it would help if you considered this before succumbing to positive peer pressure or influence on your kids.
How to Protect Your Kids from Peer Pressure
The need to feel belong intensifies in teenagers who feel like an outsider in their communities and at home. So, if you sense that your kids are exhibiting traits of negative peer pressure, ask them questions genuinely. Try as much as possible to avoid being confrontational and be interested in the reasoning behind their actions. You could help them to realize that they’re taking the wrong step and guide them to the right path.
Here are a few ways how to protect your kids from peer pressure.
1. Invest in them emotionally.
Talk to your kids and be vulnerable with them. It’s very easy to act stone-cold and leave them to do their things. But that’s dangerous, so joke around and have fun with your kids. Teach them different virtues, and the Almighty will greatly reward your efforts.
2. Exhibit family ethics that are deeply rooted in Islam
A good example is praying together. Teach your kids how to connect with the Almighty in the right way and make them understand that only Him can solve their challenges. They don’t have to take up the negative habits of some other people because they’re looking for solutions. Also, they must understand that just because their friends are doing a particular thing doesn’t mean it pleases Allah.
3. Teach them to strive for the pleasure of Allah.
Allah (SWT) is merciful towards everyone on the surface of the Earth. So, your kids must understand that their actions must please Allah. Just because a friend is doing a bad thing and seems to go scot-free doesn’t mean it pleases Allah. Teach them to always strive for the pleasure of Allah, and it can dispel the thought of peer pressure on their mind.
4. Get to know your kids’ friends.
Knowing the kind of friends your kids have will save you a lot of stress. So, invite them into your home and connect with them. Understand the type of life they have, and you’ll get to show them yours, too.
5. Lead by example
As stated above, adults also fall into peer pressure. You have to be your kids’ role model by being your own person. Have a mind of yours and devise reasonable means on how to take care of your family. Don’t fall into the kind of peer pressure that will make your kids think it’s alright to do the same.
6. Open discussions
Don’t be too shy to talk to your kids about their bodies, drugs, premarital sex, LGBTQ, etc. Yes, these discussions can be difficult, but having these open discussions will make your kids feel more comfortable with you. It’ll help you to integrate Islamic views on these topics into your kids.
Final Thoughts
Peer pressure is undoubtedly one of the latest plagues. It starts from a young age, which makes it important for Muslim parents to know how to handle it. We’ve highlighted how to protect your kids from peer pressure and the power behind it in this post.