RELATIONSHIPS: Family and Friends

1. RELATIONSHIPS: Family and Friends There are many types of relationships but they can be broken into 2 main categories, Family and Friends:

2. Examples of relationships Mother/Father – Brother/Sister – Grandmother/Grandfather Stepparents – step brothers/sisters – half brothers/sisters Aunts/uncles – nephews/nieces - cousins – in laws – Great Grandparents – friends – acquaintances – Best friends – Boyfriends/girl friends – Fiance’ - Classmates – team mates – neighbors – colleagues – mentors – Coach – teacher – pastor/religious leader – doctor – psychologist – accountant – contractor/butcher/barber/etc – pets

3. No matter the type of relationship….. Love Respect 7 Things needed for any relationship to succeed Trust Loyalty Honesty Communication Friendship

4. Communicating with Others Communication means to give AND receive information Effective communication is one of the 3 foundation pieces of a healthy/successful relationship It requires you to express yourself clearly and understand others. 4/5 or 80 % of communication is done WITHOUT WORDS

5. Communicating with Others (cont’d.) There are two main types of communication: verbal and nonverbal. Verbal communication means using words to express yourself, either in speaking, typing, or writing Nonverbal communication is without words….gestures, body language, posture, and facila expressions

6. Friendship "A friend is one who walks in when others walk out" -- Walter Winchell Defined: Act of being attached to someone by affection, esteem or as a companion and in a variety of ways ---Merriam Webster All relationships require that you have some level of friendship..you have to like being around the person right?

7. Honesty You have to tell the truth. If you lie, you end up destroying relationships because with out honesty. You can not build a relationship built on truth. Plus no matter what, you eventually get caught in the lie and that hurts worse than the truth to people that love you

8. Trust Placing dependence on another person. There is a certain amount of trust shared in any relationship but without honesty and communication, it is lost. Trust takes a while to build up, it doesn’t happen overnight..but 1 lie can make it come crashing down. Trust means that NO MATTER WHAT, your relationships are there for you and will try not to hurt you emotionally* (in the exception of break ups)

9. Loyalty Means staying true to a group or team or family. Also means always being there to help, as part of a group, in terms of relationships and in times of need.

10. Loyalty 2 teens were sitting and talking and 1 teen says “my Dad hit me with his belt last night after he was done drinking because the Eagles lost..but don’t tell anyone”. IS the teen being a loyal friend if she tells the school counselor or a snitch? 2 other teens are in school hanging out when one of them pulls out a gun. Should the other teen tell someone? A girl “runs away” with her boy friend. On her facebook, She leaves a coded message that a few of her friends understand but that her parents/police can’t interpret. Should her friends tell her parents or let her go with her boy friend. Which friend in the 3 scenarios above is being loyal? The ones that stay quiet or the ones that talk?

11. LOVE Every relationship has a certain amount of love, which is the world’s most powerful emotion. However, there are different kinds and different levels. Love for a husband/wife may be just as strong as love for a mother/father but it is most certainly different. John Lennon said “all you need is love”. That isn’t true because without Trust, Loyalty, Communication, Honesty and Friendship, Love doesn’t matter and can’t be truly given

12. RESPECT Almost the same as love…needs a whole lot of other stuff to happen to be truly given. Not only does it need the other 6 items for successful relationships, but it also needs a history of events that demonstrated positive actions. Kinds of respect include respect of elders, nation, leaders, friends, etc.

13. Family RELATIONSHIPS specifically Your family helps or should help you by fulfilling your: • Physical needs – Families provide the basic needs for survival: food, clothing, and shelter. • Intellectual needs – Families teach children everyday tasks, from tying shoes to speaking languages. • Emotional needs – Families provide a base of emotional security so that each member can feel accepted, supported, and loved. • Social needs – Families teach the skills their members need to get along with others and be productive members of the community.

14. Your Family and Your Health Your family also helps you develop your values as you grow into adulthood. The values you learn from your family members may be based on: • Family history • Traditions • Religious beliefs

15. Coping with Changes and Challenges Family life involves changes and challenges. Some changes are happy occasions, but at times families have to cope with difficult situations. Difficult changes may cause stress, which can have a negative effect on family health.

16. Coping with Changes and Challenges (cont’d.) Some common family challenges include the following: • Moving • Job Loss • Separation and Divorce • Illness or Injury • Death, Grieving, and Loss Others may include: a family member on drugs or who drinks excessive alcohol, domestic violence towards spouse or children, or a parent in prison.

17. Strengthening Family Relationships Balancing various roles and responsibilities in a family can cause some stress. However, when family members work together, they can manage stress and keep family bonds strong. Respect, understanding, and humor are good qualities that help strengthen family bonds.

18. Strengthening Family Relationships (cont’d.) Here are some strategies for teens to strengthen the family: • Show appreciation. • Communicate ideas, information, and feelings. • Spend quality time together. • Appreciate your grandparents and other extended family members. • Respect family members’ privacy. • Show responsibility. • Share family resources. • Follow family guidelines NO MATTER WHAT • Be responsible for your own things such as cleaning up after yourself, following curfews, getting school work done.

19. Conclusion Relationships are not easy…they need to be worked at. People change and so do their needs. Any type of relationship needs 7 things to be successful. The family relationship should be the strongest ones in your life here on Earth and teens need to take responsibility to help keep them strong