Social Media
True or False: If someone online says they are 14, you know they are safe to talk to.
False. People can put false profile pictures up and pretend to be any age. It is not safe to talk to anyone online if you don't know them in person.
True or False: You shouldn't tell your parents when you are upset.
False. Most parents want to know when their child is upset so that they can help them find solutions to problems.
True or False? It is necessary for you to have a romantic relationship as a teenager.
True or False? It is okay for teachers to get angry at you if you ask them for help or tell them you didn't understand the instructions?
No. It is a teacher's job to teach you until you understand. If you ask a question and they get angry with you, let another trusted adult know.
True or False? If someone is your best friend, does that mean they shouldn't have other friends they are close to?
No. It is healthy to have many friends, even if you feel closer to one of them.
Do pictures you post on snapchat immediately go away?
No. While the pictures may disappear from the chat, someone can easily take a picture from another camera without you knowing, and pass the picture around. Nothing you post on the internet ever goes away.
Do parents feel the same variety of emotions that teenagers feel?
Yes. All human beings feel a variety of emotions. You may not see it when your parents are feeling emotional because they might hide their feelings, but they do feel all sorts of feelings.
"Talking to someone" is a term that refers to two people considering a romantic relationship. At this stage, is it okay if the person is also talking to other people?
Yes. "Talking to someone" isn't the same thing as dating. There has been no conversation defining the relationship, so both people are free to talk to others.
You get your grade and you think that there is a mistake on the grading, because your friend got the same answer and his was marked correct. What should you do?
Go to the teacher and show them your assignment and explain that your friend got the same answer and was marked correct, while yours was marked wrong. Ask if this is a mistake.
Your friends are talking about something you don't know about. What should you do?
You could ask them if they can explain what they are talking about.
Should you accept a stranger's follow request? Why or Why not?
You should NOT accept a stranger's follow request, because they could intend to harass or harm you in some way. Many people do try to follow young people with sketchy intent.
You are feeling overwhelmed with a large homework assignment you need to do. Your parent is telling you to help them rake the leaves after school. What should you say?
Without whining or telling your parent "no", you could SHOW them the assignment you have to do, explain the due date, and ask them if they can help you figure out how to get the homework assignment done before you rake the leaves with them.
You want to ask someone to go to the school dance as your date. What is one way you can do this?
Chat with them about common interest first. Ask them if they intend to go to the dance. Then, if they are interested, ask them if they will go with you. Extra credit if you let them know up front if you just want to go as friends.
Someone is bullying you (doing something mean to you repeatedly on purpose). What should you do about it?
Tell the school counselor or one of the principals what is going on, or tell your parent so they can help you talk to the school.
Your friend pointed out something that bothers them about your actions. It hurt your feelings. What should you do?
Tell your friend that it hurt you, but that you want to do better (if their comment has truth). Discuss with them your intentions and make a plan to change your behavior.
Are text messages between two people really private?
No. If you send anything in text, whether a message or a photo, the other person can show it to anyone else in the world, and anyone in their life can find it on their phone without their permission, including the phone company, who keeps copies of all texts sent and received.
Your parents tell you not to date until you are grown. You have a romantic relationship they don't know about. The person breaks up with you and you are sad. How do you let your parent know you are sad without getting in trouble for having a romantic relationship in the first place?
You might tell your parent that you are feeling really sad because a friend doesn't want to be your friend anymore. (This is not a lie, because romantic relationships are friendships that have physical attraction.)
If you are in a relationship and have defined it with the other person as "dating", can they be friends with others? (have conversations with others, eat lunch with others, be on social media with others).
You are struggling to keep up with assignments because you have extra stress right now, (problems at home, in relationships, or too many difficult classes, for example). You feel overwhelmed and can't meet the due date on a project. What can you do?
Talk to the teacher who gave the assignment. Talk to them when they are not busy, and explain the stressful situation. Ask if you can have more time.
A friend comments on your appearance in a negative way. Your feelings are hurt. What can you do?
You could tell them it hurt your feelings. If you are comfortable doing so, explain why it made you feel bad.
When someone you know asks you to send them something online that makes you feel uncomfortable, what should you say or do?
You should pay attention to the uncomfortable feeling. You can tell them you don't think that is a good idea, or tell them "no". Then talk to someone you trust about it (a wise friend, teacher, older sibling, parent, or therapist).
Your parent makes a comment on your body that makes you feel uncomfortable or feel bad. What can you do or say?
Tell your parent that the comment hurt your feelings and let them know that you are still growing and developing and comments like this cause you to feel anxious and sad. Ask them to please understand that the doctor will let you know if there is a problem with your body.
When you are dating someone and they want to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable, is it okay to say no at any time?
Yes. Even if you give them permission to kiss you, it is always okay to stop any time you feel uncomfortable and say no. If they don't listen, leave the situation.
No. If you are already your best, the teacher isn't talking to you. If you still aren't sure, ask them later if you are doing okay in the class.
I want to make a new friend. I don't know how to start a conversation with the person. What can I do?
Be curious about THEM. Ask them about their interests. Notice things about them (Ex. "I notice you like pokemon. Me too").