Blog Post 5: Peer Pressure; Starts a very young age

Amazingly, peer group pressure can begin as early as elementary school, teachers and parents must always be on the lookout of their children who may negatively influenced by peers. The playground is often one of the most common source of potential social challenges for many kids. While some children are busy and happy playing with their friends, some being bullied and criticize by their peers.

This post highlights some common peer problems your child may face at school. I've read some articles on how can peer groups affect our children as early as seven or eight years old, first article I've read was entitled "Peer Pressure at School" written by Justin Coulson. In his article, he said that there are many problems our children face in their elementary stage. There comes a point when they are getting bullied and

teased, and unfortunately, these are still common in the school yard. Some are being intentionally left out of school activities. Also, one of the most common peer problem at school is when your children start to ask themselves whether they are cool or not. They will start questioning themselves why they don't have that much friends, they will start to think that maybe there is something wrong with them. These instances can make them perform very poor in academics and voluntarily exclude themselves to their peers.

Justin Coulson said, "By around the age of nine, many children have a keen sense of what is cool and what is not. Much of this is controlled by what they are exposed to via the media through the internet, television, and movies. If your child has not got the latest media gadget like iPod or mobile phone, seen the latest movie, or does not know the words  to the hottest song in the country, they may feel excluded and could be teased."

I definitely agree with Coulson, he delivered the most common reason very well and understandable. It is true that being left out with the latest gadgets and media are some common reasons why children are being bullied. They also tend to feel that they do not belong to the group once they lack something everyone in the group has. For me, it is important for parents to teach and educate themselves on how to accept that there are things they can have and cannot, It is important that at a very young age, children are already informed that they cannot give everything and they must not feel that they are being left out.

Another article I've read was written by Rick Nauert, PHD., entitled "Younger than you think: Peer Pressure Begins in Elementary School". In his article, he said that peer pressure is not just an issue for adolescents. Peer pressure begins in elementary school. As early as nine years old, kids can make their own decisions.

He said that "The emergence of peer groups in elementary school also aids the children's development by providing positive friendships, relationships, and social support."

I agree with Rick, at early at the age of nine, children can be influenced by their peers. But what's good in his article is that, he believed that peer pressure can be good if they will maintain their harmonious retionships with the positive people. I think this is a reminder call to all the parents, they must guide their children on their first stage of school, to see if they have the right choice of people to be friend with. Parents must be the first people to know if someone or something can bring and do good to their children.