How do you talk to your kids about peer pressure at school?

Dec 9·1 min read

My 11 year old came home saying some kids were making fun of him for praying before lunch. He didn't want to do it anymore because he felt embarrassed. I told him it's okay to be different but I'm struggling with how to help him stay strong in his faith without making him feel isolated. Any advice from guys who've been through this? How do you balance protecting their faith with letting them navigate the social stuff?

5 comments398 views

Comments(5)

CChris T.RegularDec 10

That's rough. Kids shouldn't feel ashamed for their faith. I'd probably have a talk with the school about making sure the environment is respectful of all beliefs. Your son is brave for staying true to himself.

JJason K.RegularDec 11

This is exactly why we need to teach our kids that different people believe different things and that's okay. At 11 years old he shouldn't feel pressure about that stuff.

DDex J.New DadDec 10

Did he want to keep praying before lunch or did he feel too self conscious after what happened? That matters a lot for how you handle this moving forward.

NNolan J.RegularDec 11

Those kids making fun probably don't even know why they're doing it. They just follow what other kids do. Your son sounds like he has character which is way more important.

MMarcus J.RegularDec 12

How did you respond to him about it? I'm dreading the day my kids come home with stuff like this because I want to support them but also not make it weird.

to join the conversation.