Peer pressure can greatly affect a teenager’s decision to engage in sexual intercourse. You may be used to telling your child to make the smart choice for himself, yet sometimes because of how his peers hound him about sex, they may actually end up making the choice for him. Because of this, a parent should not neglect the influence of a teen’s peers on decisions regarding sex.
Reminding your teen that it is solely his decision to make, may be a helpful tool in parenting. Emphasis should be put on the fact that no matter what a partner may want or a group may think of as ‘cool’, it is his opinion that must be given the most weight because he himself will be the one engaging or not engaging in the sexual act. Telling your teen that pressure from friends is normal may also lessen the stress they may be causing him. Explaining to him how “talk is talk” for teenagers can ease him into the idea that he does not have to live up to the expectations of his pals.
Boasting about sexual relations may be common in teenage boys, and a boy who isn’t experienced may feel pressured to become sexually active. Once your teen understands that sometimes talk is simply that, he may be able to give his own stand on the issue its proper weight.
When a teenager is dealing with a partner who may be pressuring sexual intercourse on her, it may be tough for her to air out her hesitance in the presence of a guy ready to pounce. But as difficult as this may be, as a parent it is your duty to tell her that in cases like this, saying no is a must if she does not want to engage. Keeping mum or quiet can be as good as saying yes in some situations with aggressive guys. Remind her that risking embarassment in an awkward situation by saying no outright, is much better than how she will feel if she ends up doing something she really didn’t want to do.
Ultimately, your teenager should understand that it all boils down to what she herself thinks. But she must take into consideration all of the information you provide her about sexual acts and their consequences. Hopefully, with the knowledge you equip her with, she may be capable of making mature decisions about sex on her own.
