1. Building Responsible Relationships
7th Grade
Chapter 11

2. Social Skills
Having good social skills means having clear, healthy relationships.
Relationship: an emotional or social connection you have with another person or group.
It is important to express yourself clearly so people know what you are thinking and feeling.

3. Expressing yourself is only half of communication
The other half is understanding others.
Good listening is more than just hearing.
It is using active listening skills.

4. ACTIVE LISTENING
Active listening: hearing and thoughtfully responding as a person is speaking.
Active listening includes the following:
Paying attention to the person speaking
Making eye contact
Nodding when you understand
Asking questions when you don’t understand

5. Body Language
Body language: a way of communicating by using the following:
Facial expressions
Hand gestures
Body posture
Sending the same message with your words and body language will help people understand you

6. Behavior: how you choose to respond or act
Personal Responsibility: doing your part, keeping promises, and accepting the consequences of your actions.
Practice using refusal skills to avoid risky behavior.
If you are confronted with a risky behavior, remember, you can always make a healthy choice. Stand your ground and remember your values.
Walk away if others are pressuring you.

7. Sensitivity Skills
Empathy: sharing and understanding another persons feelings
Be a good listener, be a good body language reader, become aware of problems people face every day and try to identify people’s feelings
Tolerance: the ability to overlook differences and accept people for who they are

8. Family Health
Nurturing: Providing care and other basic things that people need to grow
There are many different family structures
Couple, Nuclear, Single-Parent Families, Extended Families, Blended families and adoptive families

9. Family Roles
Parents or Adults provide food, clothing, shelter, basic care, love and teach children important values
How can you care for your family members?
Respect and cooperation
Your Role: Looking after brothers and sisters, cooking, cleaning and helping with household duties

10. How can family roles change?
New baby
Adopted family member
Mom or Dad has a new job
Sibling leaves for college or moves out

11. Family Changes
Health Problems- taking care of an ill family member can take time, if they held a job and can no longer do this, this can effect income
Money Problems- money problems can lead to other family problems
Relationship Problems- When family members don’t get along, the whole family can be affected. Divorce and separation can be tough on families

12. Coping with problems What is the best way to deal with problems?
TALK ABOUT IT
Talk to: parents, grandparents, coaches, teachers and guidance counselors

13. Influences on Teen Relationships
Media: TV shows, movies, music, magazines, advertisements and all other forms of communication
Music- Disrespectful or violent?
Movies- What are the characters doing? Against your values?
Surround yourselves with good influences. This will help you make healthy choices

14. Other Influences
Your Family
Your Role Models
Your Peers

15. Healthy Friendships
Friends play a bigger role in your life the older you get
Friends can influence your choices and help you to stay healthy and safe
Self-Esteem-the way you feel about yourself as a person, or how you value yourself

16. Building Good Character
Good friends help you to build good character.
You can build good character by:
Caring: Be aware of how your friends are feeling
Respect: respect each other, friends values and families
Dependability: Keep promises, around when needed, respect your friends things
Loyalty: Good friends stick by you even if others turn against you. They don’t stop being friends with you to be friends with others.
Honesty: Good friends are honest when the truth is difficult to say or hear

17. Resolving Unhealthy Relationships
Unhealthy Relationship: a relationship with a person who hurts you or who encourages you to do things that are against your values
Try to resolve these relationships right away. Talk to a parent or trusted adult. Say “no” when something goes against your values.
Encourage friends who are pressuring you that they can always walk away from an unhealthy behavior. They do not have to go through with it.

18. Teen Dating
Dating: going out with people you find attractive and interesting
Group Dating: Going out with a group of friends to get to know someone
What are some benefits of group dating?
Takes the pressure off of you to always have something to say
You can act more like yourself when your around friends
You won’t be pressured into doing something you don’t want to do
You can see how they act in a group (your friends and their friends)
Not as awkward

19. Showing Affection
There are many ways for teens to show affection to one another
Give a smile or kind laugh
Tell someone how much they mean to you
Remember a birthday
Write a card, note or letter
Give a small gift, such as a flower
Cheer for someone at a game or performance
Spend time together
Hold hands

20. Being Clear It may be difficult to let someone know how you feel
As long as you are clear, you are doing okay.
Respecting others values can show that you like them.
If you don’t feel comfortable with the way someone is showing you affection, say so.
Tell the person to stop, if the person does not stop, talk to a parent or trusted adult about the problem

21. Sexual Abstinence
Sexual Abstinence is the refusal to take part in sexual activity.
What are the benefits of abstaining from sex?
Being sure you won’t cause an unwanted pregnancy
STD’s
Ensure you won’t get hurt emotionally from sexual involvement
Demonstrating care for yourself , your family and your future

22. Maintaining Abstinence
Practice good refusal skills
Learn how to say no with your words, body language and actions.
Stick to your values!
Walk away or call for a ride home