Teens want to be with people their own age - their peers. With peers, teens can be both connected and independent, as they break away from their parents' images of them and develop identities of their own.
Forming
successful peer relations is an important part of growing up. Friends influence
who we hang out with, how we dress, and what we do for fun. Friends also can
affect our behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs.
The
influence of peers - whether positive or negative - is of critical importance
in teen's life. The need for acceptance, approval, and belonging is vital
during the teen years. Teens who feel isolated or rejected by their peers are
more likely to engage in risky behaviors in order to fit in with a group.
A powerful
negative peer influence can motivate a teen to make choices and engage in
behavior that his or her values might otherwise reject. Sometimes, teens will
change the way they dress, their friends, give up their values or create new
ones, depending on the people they hang around with.
Parents can
support positive peer relationships by giving their teenagers their love, time,
and encouragement to think for themselves.
No matter
what kind of peer influence your teen faces, he or she must learn how to
balance the value of going along with the crowd (connection) against the
importance of making principle-based decisions (independence). And you must
ensure that your teen knows that he or she is loved and valued as an individual
at home.
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