The Pot
In the metaphor, what does the "pot" represent?
Problems, trouble, or negative situations people may get stuck in.
This is the influence from friends or peers that pushes someone to act a certain way.
Peer pressure.
What do real friends do when you are struggling?
Help you out of the problem.
What does "climbing out of the pot" mean?
Overcoming challenges or negative influences.
How can positive friends affect your future?
help you make better decisions and reach goals.
Give one example of a "pot" middle schoolers might fall into?
Fighting, bullying, skipping class, negative friends groups, bad decisions, lying, failing classes
True or False: Peer pressure is only negative.
False: there are positive peer pressures such as encouraging someone to study; helping a friend make good choices; standing up for someone.
Honest, supportive, kind, encouraging, trusting, etc. are all examples of what?
A positive friend
Name one person who might help you climb out of the problem.
Parent
friend
school social worker
teacher
coach
What might happen if you stay in the pot?
more problems; get in trouble at school; missed opportunities.
Why don't crabs usually escape the pot?
Other crabs are pulling them down.
Why can it be hard to resist peer pressure?
Pressure you into trouble, put you down, encourage bad choices, make you feel bad, etc, are all examples of what?
A negative friend.
Why might people try to pull others back into the pot?
Jealousy
fear of being left behind
wanting others to make the same choices.
What might life look like if you climb out of the pot?
Better relationships; success in school; more opportunities.
How is the crab pot similar to real life?
Sometimes people pull others down instead of helping them succeed.
What is one strategy for handling negative peer pressure?
Saying no; walking away; choose different friends; asking for help.
Jordan forgot to study for a big test. Their friend Alex says, “Just copy my answers. The teacher will never notice and I don’t want you to fail.”
At first this sounds helpful. Is Alex acting like a positive friend or a negative friend?
Alex is acting like a negative friend, even though they are trying to help. A positive friend would encourage Jordan to do the right thing, like trying their best on the test, asking the teacher for help, or studying together next time. Helping someone cheat could get them in trouble.
What is one step you may take to start climbing out?
Asking for help
changing friends
setting goals
making better choices
How can the choices you make today affect your future?
Good choices can lead to success, trust, and opportunities, while poor choices can lead to problems or missed opportunities.
If someone keeps making the same negative choices and staying around negative influences, what is likely to happen?
They may stay stuck in the “pot” and continue experiencing problems or consequences.
Situation: Friends pressure someone to skip class. What do you do?
Say no
Leave the situation
Find a supportive friend
Talk to a trusted adult
What is a good question to ask yourself if you're questioning if someone is a negative or positive friend?
"Is this person impacting my life positively or negatively?"
Sam used to get in trouble a lot for skipping class with a group of friends. Recently, Sam decided to start going to class and focusing on school. When Sam tells the group they don’t want to skip anymore, the friends say, “Wow, you think you’re better than us now?” and try to convince Sam to leave school with them.
In this situation, what is one way Sam could keep climbing out of the pot, even though the friends are trying to pull him back?
Stay in class and ignore the pressure.
Tell the friends they are trying to make better choices.
Spend time with different friends who support school.
Talk to a trusted adult for support.
Taylor is upset after getting in trouble at school and says, “I hate this place. I’m not coming tomorrow.” Their friend Casey replies, “Yeah, school is stupid anyway. Let’s both skip tomorrow and hang out instead. It’ll make you feel better.”
Casey sounds supportive and is trying to help Taylor feel better.
Is Casey being a real friend who helps Taylor climb out of the pot, or someone who might pull Taylor further into the pot?
Casey is not helping Taylor climb out of the pot. Even though Casey is trying to be supportive, encouraging Taylor to skip school could lead to more trouble. A real friend would listen and support Taylor but encourage better choices, like going to school, talking to a teacher, or figuring out how to fix the situation.