Peer Pressure

While spending time today with my 14 year old granddaughter I asked if she had close friends.

“Not as many as last year,” she told me.

“How come?” I asked, as I wasn’t sure why an intelligent and attractive 14 year would have fewer friends, rather than more.

“They wanted me to do bad things,” she replied. Then, she told me girlfriends had offered her drugs on more than one occasion.

“I kept saying ‘no’” she said.  “Now they don’t have much to do with me.”

 However, she said it in a manner that indicated she was okay with her decision. And was going to stick by it.

We continued our conversation along this vein for a while and I encouraged her to continue her wise decisions.

Her decisions at 14 are such a contrast to the clients we have at TLC.  Many share that they eagerly began using drugs and alcohol as young as ten years old – and some earlier. In the case of my brother and me we’d follow our alcoholic father around the house and drink from his bottles at five and six years old.  It’s rare when someone tells us they didn’t start until their 20s.

I'm proud my granddaughter is avoiding the peer pressure that pulls so many into addiction. And even though she's strong, I'll continue to encourage her.