No matter what grade your child is in they have often been subjected to peer pressure by their classmates. Peer pressure is very common all the way up from Kindergarten to High school, even college.

Some examples of this are as follows:

· Kids trying to get others to smoke cigarettes.

· Kids trying to get others to smoke pot.

· Kids trying to get others to drink alcohol.

· Kids trying to get others to be sexually active.

· Kids trying to get others to be mean to some of the less popular kids. (This is also part of bullying which will be discussed in another article)

· Kids trying to get others to skip school or do poorly academically in school.

These are the most common ones that come to mine but there are hundreds more. The best defense to peer pressure for your child is to make sure that your child has open lines of communication with you at all times. In addition, fostering your child's self esteem is priceless. A child that has a good sense of self and knows who they are will be less likely to fall prey to this type of pressure. If anything, they will be a leader and will get others to follow them in something more positive.

You can do a great job of protecting your kids when they are at home or in your presence. When they go to school however, they are subjected to the harsh realities of the world and other kids that may not get the same love and attention as yours. These kids will not only apply peer pressure to your child but may also bully them because they feel bad about themselves.

If you notice any changes in your child's behavior, a drop in grades or a set of new friends, ask questions. Find out what is really going on in the day to day life of your child. You may be surprised to hear what they have to say.