Teaching Your Child About Peer Pressure: A Short Story, The Birthday Party Planned By Megan
Posted: Sunday, December 06, 2009
by Fran Larson
http://www.franniesquotes.com/
Dear Diary,
Tomorrow, I'll be fourteen years old. I am having a cool birthday party. Mom and Dad have really gone all out. There will be about forty people at my house. We are taking all the family room furniture out just for the evening so we can have a dance.
Mom and Dad are cooking hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. It will be the best party ever! I just know I will be so popular and noticed more after this party. I am letting Megan give out the invitations at school because she knows all the right people to ask. Even though I don't know them, Megan said that was the thing to do. Popular people will surround me and I will be included with the "in" crowd. I did invite my best friend, Jessica, also.
I'll write after the party and include all the neat things that happened.
I'll be dancing with the most handsome, popular boys at school. How cool is that?
Cheri
Cheri closed her diary and imagined herself dancing with Jason Jones or Bowden Buckley. She would be swirling around the dance floor in her new blue halter dress and her matching blue star-shaped earrings. Everyone would be anxious to talk with her. They would be saying, over and over, "this is the coolest party ever" while they were eating everything in sight. Cheri wished she could daydream about this all day, but she had to help Mom with the house cleaning.
Megan didn't know how many people to plan for. Bowden asked if Cheri's parents would be around. Nicole Trump wasn't sure if she could come to the party. It would be ok if she didn't come, Megan thought. Nicole would be stiff competition for Cheri and herself. If Nicole Trump came, she would probably wear her silver chair necklace with a dangling heart that she bought from
Tiffany's. She didn't have any idea the number of people that would be coming. She'll just tell Cheri's mother to plan for forty.
It was a perfect summer evening. Dad was hanging little white lights among the many pine trees and the front porch. The family room was decorated with gold and silver streamers. There were silver stars on the ceiling and of course, the strobe lights. Dad had worked all day on the sound system so that the music would be perfect. The food was awesome. It was laid out on a long buffet table with hearts and flowers. Besides hamburgers and hotdogs, there was popcorn, chips, pizza, and all kinds of dips and soda. Cheri's blue eyes started to mist just thinking of all the preparation and money that Mom and Dad had so graciously given.
She slowly put on her baby blue dress and star-shaped earrings. Mom had said the blue in the dress matched her eyes. Her make-up was perfect. She was only allowed to wear blush, powder and lip-gloss. She tossed her head upside down to give her blonde straight hair more volume. She looked in her full-length mirror and said, "Cheri, this is the night when your life is going to change!"
Everyone strolled in late and seemed to come in groups of three or four. Cheri couldn't introduce most people to her parents because she wasn't sure of their names. She had seen them around campus, laughing and knowing others were watching their every move and even what clothes they wore. Hardly anyone seemed interested in the food that was on the buffet table. Megan was nowhere to be found. Bowden, Nicole and Jim Beecher kept going outside, and then coming in. Mom and Dad tried to stay out of sight,
but Cheri knew they were keeping their eyes open to make sure nothing went wrong. Within an hour, the room had emptied out, except for Jessica and three other kids that she knew. She realized that about half the people that came were uninvited because there had to be at least sixty people at the party. A tumble of confused thoughts and feelings assailed her. Her glowing, youthful happiness faded as she began to realize what was happening. Her swell of pain and embarrassment was beyond tears.
Cheri looked out the living room window and saw kids sitting on their cars and all over her neighbor's yards. She even saw Bowden throwing up beside her neighbor's garage door. Jim Beecher had turned up his car radio so loud, people were coming out to see what was going on. Some kids shouted obscenities at them. Things were getting out of control. Her dad was walking at a fast pace toward the house. Cheri noted his set face; his clamped mouth and fixed eyes. He spoke in an odd, yet commanding tone. "Cheri, I am calling the police. These kids have brought liquor and kept it in their cars. I tried to get them to leave, but they cussed me out. Do you even know any of these people? We'll talk about this later. I want you to stay here in the house, so that you won't be a part of this when the police arrive." With that, he strode in the kitchen and made the call. Cheri was silent and defeated.
Dear Diary,
I can hardly stand to look at Mom and Dad. They look so hurt. I have never seen that look on their faces. Not only are they disappointed about the party, but they spent so much money.
Mom and Dad said that I wouldn't be punished and that I had suffered enough. They also said that the drinking wasn't my fault because I didn't know that's what was being planned. However, my Dad said that I should've invited my real, honest to goodness friends. He said that I was too focused on inviting people because of their looks or how popular they are. Of course, he laid some blame on Megan since she was the one that passed out the invitations. Mom said that I would always feel "peer pressure". Even when I am grown, I will have choices to make and I will feel the influence of other people.
My parents also suggested that I meet with my "real" friends and just hang out. We can make suggestions to each other about how to resist peer pressure We could meet once a month and order some pizza.
Jessica and I have made a pact that we would always be our own person. We sealed it with a high five and a chocolate shake from Steak and Shake. We both feel relieved that we don't have to do things that make us uncomfortable.
I have learned so much, even though I am only fourteen years old. You better believe it, next time I will hand out my own invitations.
Cheri
DISCUSSION
1.At what age do you think a person is completely responsible for
their words and actions?
2. At this point in your life, what are you responsible for
A. as a member of your family?
B. as a student at this school?
C. As a citizen of this country?
3. As we mature we take on more adult responsibilities. What do
you think are some of life's most important responsibilities?
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Well written and revealing.There MUST also have been gratuitous sexual behavior going on somewhere that would have required much more intercession and much more discussion.An uncomfortable look at a realistic problem; kids think that since adults drink and smoke and have sex that if they also do these things then they too will be more adult.The problems truly originate in the homes of kids who watch their parents and emulate their behavior.
How are the 14 year olds responding to this? I think it is great and a good springboard for discussions but when I was 14 it was the 60s.... what do I know?
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