Peer Pressure
March 9th, 2007
It seems that our world is filled with peer pressure, even for adults. Can you imagine what it’s like to be three or four feet tall and live in a world where there is pressure all around you… good and bad? Well, that’s what your child faces daily. My son started his life 21″ tall and almost 10 pounds. So it wasn’t a big discovery for me to know that he could either help someone someday or hurt someone. I decided to teach him to be the helper. Even at 5′ when others were only 4 or 4 1/2, he faced daily pressure. One day he came home with a black eye and a scratch on his cheek. When I asked what happened, he told me that he was defending a friend and got hit in the process by two bullies. It was hard for me to keep my cool and believe that God would have him beaten up, rather than defend himself. I told him that the next time someone hurts him, he has to defend himself at least by ducking or (better yet) gripping them so they couldn’t hit. Using words with authority like ’stop’ or ‘back off’ will usually help long enough for someone to see their crisis. At that age, bullies back down if they can see that the other person is in control. Thank God for cell phones now! How would you advise your child in a situation like this in keeping with Biblical values?