Making Responsible Decisions

1. Making Responsible Decisions Chapter 5

2. Decisions can be a real problem • Sometimes they are easy to make and sometimes they aren’t

3. Real Life • Eric couldn’t decide whether to go to a two-year college and get a certificate in air conditioning repair or learn the trade from his uncle. When he finally looked at the college forms, he saw that the application deadline had passed. He decided to work with his uncle and apply at the college next semester. • Did Eric make a good decision and why?

4. Facing the Challenge • Decision making involves risk • If you have decision making skills you can improve them • If you are weak in decision making you can learn

5. Kinds of Decisions • Make decisions constantly • What to eat • What to wear • When to go to school • When to do homework • When to wash your car

6. Impact of Decisions • Impact on you • Some decisions are made on the spot • Others require planning and preparation • Some life decisions are made with little thought • Sex, marriage, substance abuse

7. Impact on Others • Your decisions can unintentional hurt others • Stop and reconsider the act • Driving under the influence, vandalism, shoplifting

8. Seeking Help • Ask opinion or someone you trust • Do extensive research

9. The Process • Decision-making process = • Procedure you can follow when you have to choose among different options

10. How the Process Works • Step 1 = state the situation • Why do I need to make the decision and who does it involve? • Step 2 = list the options • How many alternatives do I have and what are my resources? • Step 3 = Weight the possible outcomes • How might each affect the final outcome? What are the positive and negative results?

11. Step 4 = Consider your values • What is most important to me? • Step 5 = Make a decision and act • What do I need to put my decision into action? • Step 6 = Evaluate the decision and take responsibility for it • Was this the best decision? How were others affected? What have I learned?

12. Gathering Information • Discussing alternatives with other people is often helpful as others think of additional options. However, this can become a way of postponing decisions. You must know when to stop gathering information and make a decision. If they spend too much time gathering information they are actually avoiding the decision.

13. Avoid Troublemakers • Procrastination • Thinking too long, lose opportunities • Impulsiveness • Too quickly can be just as harmful

14. Avoidance • Fear of consequences, fear of making wrong decisions • Deferring • Let others make your decisions • Blaming • Negative results can lead to blaming others, but if you made the decision you need to stand by it

15. Did You Know? • Having high self-esteem gives teens the confidence to make their own decisions, stick to them, and allow themselves to be wrong. At the same time, the more skillful and experienced students become at making decisions, the more confidence they gain, which in turn boost self-esteem.

16. Activity • Have students work in pairs. One student should list times when imitating others or following old habits would be helpful for making good decisions, while the other student lists times when these methods would be harmful. Have partners compare lists and discuss points of agreement or disagreement and share the results.

17. Activity 2 • Many people are eager to help others make decisions; fewer are qualified. In groups list people or sources you would turn to for advice in these situations; • Learn to eat more healthy • Choose clothes for a formal event • Deciding to accept a job • Deciding what classes to take in high school