How to Identify the Negative Effects of Peer Pressure on Your Preteen

As your child grows and matures, you'll no longer be the end-all, be-all for her social life. You must let her make her own friendships and find her own personality. Part of this is trusting her enough to stand up to her peers, but it's important to stand behind her, ready to catch her should her friends start making bad decisions. Keeping your preteen safe and happy without sticking your nose in her business can be tricky.

Instructions

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      Read into silence, and take your cues from your child. If you have a usually talkative, happy child, and you notice he's regressing from you, don't push him, but take note, advises TeenHelp.com. Make sure your child knows you are there for him, and ask him open-ended questions about his activities and friendships, encouraging his trust through your parent-child bond.

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      Investigate your child's lies. If your child says that she will be somewhere and then is not, or is omitting important information about her whereabouts, she may be experiencing the negative aspects of peer pressure, says KidsHeath. A child may know you will not approve of her decisions, and -- rather than be told no or get in trouble -- she will sneak around instead. Try not to let your child get away with lying to you. Check on her often, meet her friends and be involved in her life. If you do catch her in a lie, give her consequences, but with the understanding that you will always be there for her, no matter what kind of trouble she gets herself into.

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      Look for changes in health. If your child gains or loses a marked amount of weight, starts looking pale or sickly, has a different scent than usual or acts incredibly tired where normally he was active, he may be giving into peer pressure to a larger extent. The preteen years are a time of experimentation and boundary-pushing, according to The Palo Alto Medical Foundation, and changes in behavior could mark a dabbling in drugs, alcohol or other unhealthy activity. Start monitoring your child more closely when this happens and don't hesitate to take him to a doctor if the symptoms persist.

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      As your child grows and matures, youll no longer be the end-all, be-all for her social life. You must let her make her own friendships and find her own personality. Part of this is trusting her enough to stand up to her peers, but its important to st