MeyerPark Charter News

Have you ever heard the saying, “If someone told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?” A bit extreme, yes. But that would be peer pressure. And while peer pressure is usually seen as a negative thing, it can sometimes lead to positive results. Most middle and high school students are able to identify the difference between good peer pressure and bad peer pressure.
Resisting pressure from your peers to try something with harmful effects (smoking, drugs, a dangerous stunt) doesn’t mean you aren’t cool. It means you are smart enough to make a good choice. You understand the harmful effects of the action and have made a choice that is good for you. Hopefully you know how to say “no” to peer pressure and can walk away from an uncomfortable situation.

But sometimes your peers may continue to pressure you into a situation or activity that is dangerous or harmful to yourself or others. In times like these, knowing some strategies ahead of time will help. Beyond Growth offers some advice on how to be prepared so you can make—and stick to—your decisions.

Peer pressure isn’t all bad though. Sometimes your peers can pressure you into a situation that benefits you or that you were too afraid to do on your own. Maybe a friend urges you to study for your civics exam rather than go to a movie. When isn’t studying a good thing? Or maybe a friend encourages you to enter a piece of your artwork into a contest you were nervous about competing in. Going along with the crowd or giving in to a friend isn’t always a bad thing. Just make sure the crowd isn’t trying to pressure you into something you truly don’t want to do.

Decision-making and peer pressure are part of growing up. It’s how you handle it that will make all the difference!

Nutritious eating is important for children to learn early in life. They are influenced by what they eat at home and at school. By finding fun and creative ways at home and by supporting schools that provide healthier food, you can greatly influence your children to enjoy eating nutritiously.     

Home is where your children gain a foundation for good nutrition. It’s true what they say, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Breakfast helps fuel your children for their day at school, which is why it is so important that you have influence over what your children eat. An NPR article presents studies showing that children who eat breakfast before going to school perform better, have more energy, and pay better attention to their teachers than those who do not. Studies have also shown that what your children eat for breakfast affects their performance throughout the day.

Sending your children to school with a nutritious lunch can be a deterrent to the vending machines. Dr. Geoffrey Greene, president of the Society of Nutrition Education, found that parental limitations on how many sugary drinks a child was allowed to drink at home made a difference for the better in how many sugary drinks they purchased at school.

As parents, you have a tremendous amount of influence over what your kids eat. The Super Kids Nutrition website has great articles and fun ideas about how to get your children involved in eating more nutritiously. By having fun and being creative with your children, they will want to eat better.