Characteristics of Healthy Relationships
How do you know when consent is given?
Consent is given when you have VERBAL consent from the other person.
DO NOT ASSUME YOU HAVE CONSENT!
You are NOT friends with this person or close to them.
Green Flag or Red Flag: Your partner is jealous and controlling
Unhealthy
It is unhealthy to be controlling and jealous with your partner.
T/F: Your friends and partners should respect your boundaries
True
What are signs of a good friend?
They are kind
They are accepting
They uplift you
They listen to you
You can trust them
You feel safe with them
Your partner asks you to stop dressing a certain way because it "makes them uncomfortable."
They then threaten to break up if you don’t change your appearance
Red Flag. How would you communicate in a healthy manner?
Explain the difference between verbal and nonverbal communication.
Verbal communication: Things stated through verbal or written language
Nonverbal Communication: Body Language (gestures, facial expressions, body positioning)
For extra points let's act out nonverbal language
Green Flag or Red Flag: You and your friend or partner disagree sometimes.
Healthy
It is okay to have a disagreement with people you love and care about. Working through disagreements helps your relationship long term.
T/F: It isn't okay to stop being friends with someone.
False
You are allowed to not want to be friends with someone, especially if you do not feel good in the friendship anymore
What are signs of a bad friend?
They talk about you behind your back
They embarrass you
They spread rumors about you
They are mean to you
They try to make others not like you
They use things you tell them against you
A friend regularly jokes about things you’ve asked them not to.
Red/Yellow Flag. How would you communicate your feelings? How would you proceed?
Explain what trust and respect are.
Trust: believing you can rely on someone and you feel safe with them
Respect: Admiring someone, accepting them for who they are, being kind to others, etc
Green Flag or Red Flag: Your partner asks you for pictures and you are not comfortable sending them. They then say you only love them if you send them.
Unhealthy
You should never do anything you are uncomfortable doing. Someone that loves you will not force you to send pictures.
T/F: It's okay to make fun of your friend in front of others if you say you are just kidding or playing around.
False
This is unhealthy, this is typically what "fake" friends do to one another
Your best friend just told you someone is hurting them and told you not to tell. What should you do?
A: Keep it to yourself
B: Tell your other friend
C: Teach them to fight back
D: Report it to a trusted adult
D:Report it to a trusted adult
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS report if someone is hurting you or someone you know. It is more important to help your friend than it is to protect an abuser.
You and your partner “never fight” but also never talk about deeper issues.
Red/ Yellow Flag. Why? How would you proceed?
What should you do if you think your relationship is unhealthy?
Everyone deserves a healthy relationship!
Talk about it with your partner but if things don't get better or you feel unsafe it may be time to end the relationship. Seek help from a trusted adult or person if necessary.
Green Flag or Red Flag:
Your bf or gf is constantly checking your social media, makes you block people, and gets mad if you don't let them.
Unhealthy
If your partner forces and controls you , this is unhealthy. A healthy relationship has trust.
T/F: You can assume how someone feels through text
False
You cannot assume a person's feelings through text
What is a boundary?
Setting limits on how people treat you
Boundaries tell people what you are and aren't okay with and help maintain respect in relationships and friendships.
Your friend shares their location with you 24/7 and expects the same.
Is this a boundary for you? How would you communicate your response?
Act it Out (2 people):
Your best friend has been ignoring you for their other friends. Act out a healthy way of communicating your feelings.
For a bonus, a team can come up and act out the toxic version.
Green Flag or Red Flag: Your friend makes a mean comment about your shoes and it upsets you. You wait until you calm down to talk to them about it and mention it hurt your feelings. They listen to you, say they didn't know it hurt your feelings, and sincerely apologize.
Green Flag
Sometimes we will hurt each others feelings but acknowledging we hurt them and apologizing shows them you care and want a healthy relationship with them.
T/F: Toxic relationships and friendships always get better over time
False
Your friend started hanging out with a new group. The kids in the group are always getting in trouble, skipping school, drinking, smoking, and stealing.
Your friend wants you to hang out with them but you don't feel comfortable and are worried your friend is going to go down the wrong path as well. What should you do?
You are who you surround yourself with!
Tell your friend your concerns. A true friend cares about their friend's future and would want to see them succeed. Do not engage in risky behavior with them!
Explain why hanging out with this new group can hurt their future. Be the voice of reason, tell their loved ones, and distance yourself if necessary.
Your partner frequently checks who you're texting but says it's because they’re just curious.
Yellow/ Red Flag. How would you proceed?