How does ecstasy MDMA work What are the effects Know the facts, read about peoples experiences with it and get advice from FRANK. Define influence. English dictionary definition of influence. A power affecting a person. Whether its advertising via old standbys like TV, newspapers and radio or newer media like mobile and online, earning consumer trust is the holy grail of a. You might worry about peer pressure or peer influence on your child. But in fact peer pressure isnt always a bad thing. Heres what you need to know. Peer pressure peer influence teens. Wanting to be more like your friends is a normal part of being a teenager. Peer influence or peer pressure isnt 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 influence and peer pressure. Peer influence is when you choose to do something you wouldnt otherwise do, because you want to feel accepted and valued by your friends. It isnt just or always about doing something against your will. You might hear the term peer pressure used a lot. But peer influence is a better way to describe how teenagers behaviour is shaped by wanting to feel they belong to a group of friends or peers. Peer pressure or influence can be positive. How Make Friends And Influence People' title='How Make Friends And Influence People' />For example, your child might be influenced to become more assertive, try new activities, or to get more involved with school. But it can be negative too. Some teenagers might choose to try things they normally wouldnt be interested in, such as smoking or taking part in antisocial behaviour. Peer influence might result in children choosing the same clothes, hairstyle or jewellery as their friendslistening to the same music or watching the same TV shows as their friendschanging the way they talk, or the words they usedoing risky things or breaking rulesworking harder at school, or not working as harddating or taking part in sexual activitiessmoking or using alcohol or other drugs. Coping well with peer influence is about getting the balance right between being yourself and fitting in with your group. Some children are more likely to be negatively influenced by peers  for example, children who have poor self esteem, who feel they have few friends, and who have special needs. These children might feel that the only way theyll be included and accepted in social groups is by taking on the behaviour, attitudes and look of a group. Children who have strong self esteem are better at resisting negative peer influence. If your child is happy with who he is and the choices he makes, hes less likely to be influenced by other people. Self esteem helps in establishing good relationships, and positive friendships also help self esteem. Helping your child manage peer pressure and peer influence. You might be worried that your child is being influenced too much by her peers, or that shes selling out on her values or yours to fit in with her friends. You might also be concerned that your child wont be able to say no if she gets pressure to try risky things, such as smoking. But listening to the same music and dressing in the same way as friends doesnt necessary add up to doing the same antisocial or risky things. Your child might do some things that his friends do, but not other things. You have an influence over your child too, especially over the longer term. If your child has a strong sense of himself and his values, its more likely hell know where to draw the line when it comes to assessing risks. Just as important I think is that a toxic and abusive family background can make it very hard to make friends at all, even of the toxic variety, especially if having. Here are some ideas to help your child manage peer pressure and peer influence Keep the lines of communication open. You can do this by staying connected to your child. This can help make her feel more comfortable talking to you if shes feeling swayed to do something shes uncomfortable with. Suggest ways to say no. Free Download For Plagiarism Software. Your child might need to have some face saving ways to say no if hes feeling influenced to do something he doesnt want to do. For example, friends might be encouraging him to try smoking. Rather than simply saying No, thanks, he could say something like, No, it makes my asthma worse, or No, I dont like the way it makes me smell. Give teenagers a way out. If your child feels shes in a risky or tricky situation, it might help if she can text or phone you for back up without worrying youll be cranky. If your child is embarrassed about having to call you, you could agree on a coded message. For example, she could say that shes checking on a sick grandparent, but youll know that it really means she needs a hand. Encourage a wide social network. If your child has the chance to develop friendships from many sources, including sport, family activities or clubs, it will mean hes got lots of other options and sources of support if a friendship goes wrong. Build up your childs sense of self esteem. Part Two Six ways to make people like you. Become genuinely interested in other people. Smile. Remember that a persons name is to that person the sweetest and most. Were all embedded in vast social networks of friends, family, coworkers and more. Nicholas Christakis tracks how a wide variety of traits from happiness to. From the desk of Paul Mascetta Influence Master and Secret Weapon to the Gurus. Dear friend, Y oure about to discover the same power link that separates the. Join the movement empowering young people to recognize and face the influences around us, including the pressure to abuse drugs and alcohol. Imagine a time when it wasnt accepted that drunk driving made you more likely to get in an accident, when there wasnt consensus about what constitutes drunk. This can help her feel more confident to make her own decisions and push back on peer influence. When youre worried about peer pressure and peer influence. Encouraging your child to have friends over and giving them space in your home can help you get to know your childs friends. This also gives you the chance to check on whether negative peer influence is an issue for your child. Good communication and a positive relationship with your child might also encourage your child to talk to you if hes feeling negative influence from peers. If youre worried your childs friends are a negative influence, being critical of them might push your child into seeing them behind your back. If your child thinks you dont approve of her friends, she might even want to see more of them. How Make Friends And Influence People' title='How Make Friends And Influence People' />So instead of focusing on any people you dont like, you can try talking to your child about the behaviour you dont like. Discuss the possible consequences of the behaviour, rather than making judgments about your childs friends. It can be helpful to compromise with your child. For example, letting him wear certain clothes or have his hair cut in a particular way can help him feel connected to his peers, even if youre not keen on blue hair or ripped jeans. Having friends and feeling connected to a group gives teenagers a sense of belonging and being valued, which helps develop confidence. Friendships also help teenagers learn important social and emotional skills, such as being sensitive to other peoples thoughts, feelings and wellbeing. When to be concerned about peer influence and peer pressure. If you notice changes in your childs mood, behaviour, eating or sleeping patterns, which you think are because of her friends, it might be time to have a talk with her. Some mood and behaviour changes are normal in teenagers. But if your child seems to be in a low mood for more than two weeks, or it gets in the way of things he normally enjoys, you might start to worry about your childs mental health. Warning signs include low moods, tearfulness or feelings of hopelessnessaggression or antisocial behaviour thats not usual for your childsudden changes in behaviour, often for no obvious reasontrouble falling asleep, staying asleep or waking earlyloss of appetite or over eatingreluctance to go to schoolwithdrawal from activities your child used to likestatements about wanting to give up, or life not being worth living. If youre concerned, start by talking with your child. The next step is to talk to your GP, who can put you in contact with your local child and adolescent health team or another appropriate professional. In this short video, we hear parents and teenagers perspectives on peer influence. Parents and kids discuss the need to feel part of a group and to be seen as cool. Having the latest technology can be a particularly big pressure. Although you might worry about the effect of peer pressure on your child, it doesnt necessarily lead to risky behaviour. Many of the teenagers in this video say theyre often happy just to do their own thing.