Susan, a seventh grader, was invited to a neighborhood party held by some older kids. When she walked into the host's home, she noticed the kids were drinking beer and no adults were present. Drawing upon some "refusal skills" she had learned in a school workshop, she politely refused the offer of beer and requested a soft drink, without adopting a judgmental attitude toward the kids who were drinking beer. The friendships were maintained, and her example encouraged some of the other kids to switch to soft drinks.