Peer Pressure and Unhealthy Habits

Fit for Life Lesson#8

Grades 3&4

Peer Pressure

What is peer pressure? Peer pressure is when you

feel influenced by your peers (could be your

classmates, friends, team mates etc.) to change your attitudes and values to feel

a part of a group.

It is hard to resist peer pressure because

everyone want to feel like they have friends

and belong within their peers.

Examples of Peer Pressure

Whatever, I lie to my parents

all the time! Studying for exams is for

losers!

Can I copy your

homework?

Come on, lets skip class.

Everyone hates math.

I am sure your parents won’t

mind if you are late for

curfew.

How to deal with peer pressure

Being the only saying “no” to peer pressure can be difficult.

Being confident in what you believe in and value can help you say no to situations that you know are wrong.

Having good friends that you know will also say no with you can also help in situations where you feel pressured.

Stick together with peers who have similar values.

Peer pressure as we get older As we grow into young adults some of us

may experience pressure to do things like smoke, drink alcohol, skip class or shoplift.

It is important to realize why we should not do these things.

What is the big deal? I see older people doing

these things!

Smoking Stinks!

Cigarettes contain harmful chemicals that we would never think to put in our bodies!

Cigarettes also contain a drug

called “nicotine” that makes them highly addictive.

That is why people continue to smoke and

find it difficult to quit.

Smoking Stinks! Not only do cigarettes contain all these toxic substances,

they are also very unhealthy for your body.

REASONS NOT TO SMOKE•Bad breath •Stained teeth and hands •Cough/sore throat •Problems breathing •Feeling tired and out of breath •Wrinkles (more, sooner) •Arguments with parents, friends •Cancer risk •Heart disease risk •Gum disease risk •Bad smell in your clothes, hair, skin •Cigarette burns in your car or on your clothes •Risk of secondhand smoke to people around you http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/addictions/tobacco/274.printerview.html

“No thank you!”

Effects of Smoking on the Body

Why should we not start smoking?

Let other kids know! Design a t-shirt that tells other kids why

we should not start smoking. Your t-shirt can be informing other

students about the effects of smoking, how to say no to smoking, things that are in cigarettes etc.