Desicion Making Teens

Adolescents are constantly faced day to day with different decisions. Some decisions are simple to make because we are faced with them everyday day, but others are difficult because they are not ordinary decisions that would have to be made on a regular basis. Preparing for these situtaions will lead to a positive outcome. All decisions come with consequences either positive or negative. These consequences can also have risks either mentally or physically to oneself. Then why do people make the wrong decision and put their selves into bad situations. Why do adolescents choose the wrong way when the right way is just as easy? Some seem not to care about consequences or they have a lack of knowledge on the subject. In this essay I am hoping to answer these questions and provide some examples of good and bad decisions made by people today.

All decisions made in a day will have consequences. Making the right decision will result in positive consequences and making the wrong decision will result in negative consequences. There are tons of examples of people's bad decision-making but one I will address is drinking and driving. Drinking and driving is always bad decision and has very harsh consequences. The consequences of drinking and driving today are: immediate suspension of license, hefty fines, mandatory alcohol education classes and vehicle impoundment. Along with these consequences come lawyer fees, which can cost around 50,000 dollars when finished. All these consequences can be simply avoided if a good decision is made. A good decision in this situation would be to take a cab or call someone to come pick you up. This cost of a cab is so small compared to the price that would have to be paid if you were caught drinking and driving. So why do some adolescent teens make the wrong choice in this kind of situation. The reason I think these people make the wrong choice is that they go with the odds of not being caught. This is a very bad habit, because if one is to get away with a crime the first time then doing it a second time will not be as bad and third and so on. We need to realize that making a bad decision will result in more bad decisions, so making the right choice first will create future positive decisions. Also others follow your decisions. Say if a parent or any peer and you make a bad decision such as stealing. The child or person looking up to this peer will think that the decision is ok because they saw them doing it. This could result in the younger child stealing and thinking it is ok. Your decisions do not only affect you but others around you.

Peer pressure also has a large part in the adolescent years of a person's life. Sometimes this pressure can be positive from a person. This kind of pressure from peers is good, it makes the individual feel good about themself and wants to complete the task, for example competing in a sport or doing well in school. This positive pressure influences a person to do better because the individual knows that someone is interested in what they doing. Positive peer pressure can have huge impacts on teen's lifestyles. Negative pressure is another thing that peers can do to teenagers. This negative pressure usually does not result in a good outcome if a person gives into the pressure. Negative pressure is a very difficult thing to deal with as a teen because sometimes it can be a close friend or role model. So what is the best way to deal with this negative peer pressure? The first thing I advise a teen to do when faced with a decision that they are not sure about is to think twice before responding. Then think of the consequences of their actions before making the decision. Because this decision could not only effect the person making the decision, but others such as family and friends. If the decision will impact you negatively then the best thing to do is say "No". Saying no to a peer is very difficult in some situations because an individual may feel threatened or scared. If an individual does feel this way in a situation then I recommend making up excuses. If faced with negative pressure at a party a good excuse is that you have to go home or that your parents are here to pick you up. This will result in the indiviudal leaving the situation immediately. Sometimes these excuses are not belived,and the pressure keeps coming. In this situatuion although it is a very hard thing to do you have to tell the peer that the decision they are about to make is wrong and that you do not want to be dragged down with them. This may result in the peer not liking you as much but you have to think is this person really a friend to put you in a situation like that. A real friend will realize the right desions and not pressure you to make a a bad one. Dealing with negative peer pressure is a very hard thing to do as a teen but the right choice has to be made in these