‘Test the waters’: Pediatricians call on parents to let go of peer pressure fears

While peer pressure is the greatest health concern among parents of teenagers, health experts argue a long leash makes for better parenting as Schoolies looms.

Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital has told parents to talk to teenagers about the risks of schoolies, but not to fear peer pressure. Picture: James Weir/news.com.au

With schoolies season stoking parents’ anxieties nationwide, children’s doctors say undue fears of peer pressure are preventing teenagers from “testing the waters” and learning to show good judgment.

A poll conducted through the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne has found peer pressure was the highest ranked health concern among parents of teenagers. Four out of five parents were concerned over unsafe influence among teenagers, while 57 per cent pointed to associated risks with substance use and alcohol.

Pediatrician Anthea Rhodes, who led the National Child Health Poll, said peer pressure was unfairly maligned by many parents.

“There’s a bit of a misunderstanding about peer pressure. It gets a bad rap,” Dr Rhodes said.

“There’s the idea that teens are always pressured into things by peers and groups around them, when in fact that peer influence is often really positive. It’s also a really important part of growth and development and it’s a very normal part of the teenage period.

Royal Children’s Hospital pediatrician Anthea Rhodes says parents give peer pressure ‘a bad rap’. Picture: David Geraghty/NewsWire

“As a community, we’re actually seeing those problem behaviours (such as youth alcohol and substance use) going down rather than up.”

Dr Rhodes said despite widespread concern among parents, great portions still struggled to discuss substance risks with their children. One in four parents had never broached the topic.

“This is a really important finding and a chance for us to remind parents that even if they perhaps don’t think this is relevant for their own child or young person, or maybe they find it difficult to talk about … You’re actually going to improve the chances of your young person being able to make safe decisions,” she said.

“As summer rolls in, teenagers want to let off steam, and they should. As parents, the best thing we can do is talk to our teens and come up with a plan in case they do find themselves in a situation they don’t want to be in.

“But most importantly, remind your child how to be a good mate to their friends, looking out for them and making sure they don’t feel unsafe.”

Kirsty Ristevski with her sons Zac, 18, and Hugo, 15, and her husband Alex.

Brighton mother Kirsty Ristevski said she was bracing for her son Zac’s schoolies trip.

“It can be uncomfortable,” Ms Ristevski said.

“It’s important you remain a parent but also a friend and be approachable and not be judgmental.

“He’s got a great friendship group and I think that’s one of the keys for me – to know that he has great friends that he can rely on and he can also look after them if anything is to go wrong.”