When did we decide that most of the evils our children do are the result of peer pressure? I suppose the concept allows us to blithely believe that, even if something goes wrong, WE did our best in raising them. So I�m not very worried about us. I�m worried about them. It�s hard to teach kids to stand on their own when we keep subtly suggesting it requires super-human strength.

I don�t believe in the big, scary monster we�ve named peer pressure. Oh, sure, I�ve been at a teenage party or two in which something stupid happened because some idiot dared a moron to do something sophomoric. On any given day, peer pressure might explain that tendency of teenage boys to reduce themselves to the lowest common denominator. But experience tells me that, over time, kids seek out friends who will give them �permission� to do what they wanted to do in the first place. I�d rather tell my kids that than give them excuses for acting stupid.

Of course, it probably doesn�t matter what I tell them very much. My kids learn more from what I do than what I say. When it comes to the peer pressure thing, I have an advantage. I�m an eccentric. I don�t follow the crowd very often (although I admit I did so in starting this journal.) I�m constitutionally incapable of following a crowd very far. Half the time I can�t even find the crowd. I may drive a minivan to ferry my girl scout troop around but I assure you that no one else in my neighborhood has one with paint that peels off in long strips.

So, I don�t believe in fairies, I don�t believe in monsters, and I don�t believe in peer pressure.

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