The Price of Popularity

"We didn't get in until like, really late, so as soon as we got there we went right out," 18-year-old Candler says, filling her mom in on the details of her weekend.

Candler goes to a lot of parties; she has a lot of friends. For Candler, being popular has its perks. "Having things to do on the weekends, having a very wide circle of friends," she says. But it also has its pitfalls.

"My social life was first freshman through junior year, that was my first priority, even over my school work."

She was less likely to do homework...and according to researchers from the University of Montreal, one price of popularity is increased alcohol and drug use... a compromise too often made to be one of the cool kids.

"Teenagers who are popular tend to engage in a lot of behaviors that are valued by their peers. Some are good and some are not so good," explains Marla Shapiro, licensed psychologist.

For Candler it was drinking, something her mom was not happy with, "It was disappointing to find out that she was not always where she said she was or doing what she said she was doing."

Experts say, with popular teens especially, this can be surprising for parents. "We think that oh, our kids are popular, they're well liked, they get along well with us, they're doing well, we can relax, these are what you call good kids, and I think the message for parents would be- you can't ever let your guard down," explains Shapiro.

Setting a strict curfew, knowing her friends, keeping in constant touch are just a few of the things that worked well for Candler and her mom. "It's definitely gotten better now, now that we've gotten more involved with her life," explains her mom.

"It's made me learn, I learned from my mistakes, the mistakes I have made probably trying to be cool and fit in," says Candler.

What We Need to Know

Many people believe students who are popular set the trends and take the lead in regards to making decisions. However, popular students are just as susceptible to peer pressure as other students – and sometimes more so, because they don't want to become unpopular or lose their status.

When students – popular or not – are pressured by others to do certain things or go certain places, it can be very stressful. Experts at the Do It Now Foundation suggest the following things to consider to ease the decision-making process:

Being a popular student can be a very enviable position, but for some students it can also be a burden. The possibility of bad influences or advice is increased as more and more people surround an individual. Therefore, it is important for parents of popular children to encourage them to be responsible and develop good decision-making skills, particularly when it comes to deciding what things are more important than others. Experts at Omaha Boys Town Pediatrics suggest the following tips for parents who are concerned with the friends surrounding their children and the influences they may have on them:

• Spend time together – Recent studies indicate that children who feel close to their parents are less likely to be negatively influenced by others.
• Use opportunities to teach your children – Some of the time you spend with your children should be used to discuss problems and concerns they might face. These discussions give you an opportunity to offer advice and reinforce your family's morals and values.
• Listen carefully to what your children say – Talk with them instead of at them.
• Monitor what your children are doing – Keep track of them, watch over them and have them check in and report where they are, who they're with, and what they're doing.

Resources

• Do It Now Foundation

• University of Montreal Price of Popularity Study

This article is reproduced from Connect with Kids and may be viewed in its entirity at: www.connectwithkids.com.