There may be a time when your child feels pressured to change the way they look or the way they behave to fit it. There may be times when their beliefs and values are different to their friends. For example, their friends may think it is okay to wear short skirts or they may have a good friend who thinks it is okay to be cheeky to adults. Your child may not agree with the behaviour and find it tough to accept what their peers are doing, but don’t want to distance themselves because they have lots in common with them and they like to be around them. Their values and beliefs are somewhat different to theirs however keeping beliefs and sticking by them even when swayed is a good thing.
Every child has a different upbringing and these values and beliefs are taught to them from when they are a young age. They take them through their primary years and through into secondary. This is where their beliefs and values can be challenged and your child may find themselves not knowing what to think or realising how different other friends think.
Talk To Children About Keeping Beliefs
If they find themselves in a quandary over what to do, talk to them about their beliefs and values and what they think is right and what is wrong. Get them to understand that it is good to stick to what they believe is right and that if their friends are good friends they will respect them for the decisions they make. Help them to remember they don’t always have to do what others are doing – they can say ‘No’ and if their friends do not support them then they are not the friends they need.
What situation has your child found it difficult to say no to and affirm their beliefs?
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