SECTION II SECTION II

Module 3: Module 3: Establishing and Maintaining Establishing and Maintaining

Positive and Responsible Positive and Responsible RelationshipsRelationships

Activity 4: Peer Relationships, Friendships, Activity 4: Peer Relationships, Friendships, Peer Influences and AttractionPeer Influences and Attraction

Summing Up:

•Self-confidence and assertiveness are essential for maintaining positive relationships

•Trust is a very important element in all relationships

•There is a need for mutual respect and honesty in all relationships

 

Contd…Contd…

• In any relationship, it is important to assess our feelings and communicate them honestly

• Peer relationships can have both positive and negative dimensions

• Adolescents and their parents and teachers should interact more so that they appreciate one another’s concerns and understand each other better

• In most situations, feelings should be recognised rather than pretending they do not exist

• Repressing them can lead to chronic frustration, anger or depression

• Need to balance our feelings

 

Activity 5: Relationship with Activity 5: Relationship with Parents/GuardiansParents/Guardians

Summing Up:

• As adolescents develop a strong sense of identity and have strong views about issues, they may not always agree with their parents and other adults around them

• This can lead to conflict between adolescents and their parents

• Adolescents should recognize that it is not necessary to agree with their parents or anyone else on everything. However, they must learn to express their thoughts and feelings (communicate) in a clear, honest and respectful manner without putting down either themselves or the other person/s.

• Even if experiences of parents and adolescents are different, it can be interesting to know through discussions, what has shaped the different views.

 

Activity 6: Communicating EffectivelyActivity 6: Communicating Effectively

Summing Up: 

•Everyone likes to be accepted by people who are important to them

•Some of us may think that if we agree with everything that our family, friends and teachers say, we will be liked by them but this may not always be true

•A true friend and well-wisher will never pressurize us into doing something that we do not believe in

•If we strongly believe in something and stand up for it, people are more likely to like and respect us in the long run

 

Contd…Contd…

• As we start thinking independently, it is not possible to be in complete agreement on every issue and there is nothing wrong with it as long as we are willing to hear the other person’s view point and express our own views clearly

• There are many ways of communicating our viewpoints that have been broadly categorized into passive, aggressive and assertive styles of communication

• The assertive style of communication is the most healthy and positive style of communication that all of us should aspire to achieve

 

Some of the key elements of effective communication include:  

•Respect:

We should respect others and admire good qualities in others. It is necessary to treat others politely. People have to deserve respect through their good qualities and behaviour.

 

 

Contd…Contd…

•Listening: A good communicator must listen to others without interrupting and should respect others while replying. You cannot be an active listener if you keep talking. Be sure to stop talking when others are talking.

•Non verbal communication or body language: This includes tone of voice, smiling, gesturing, body postures, touch and distance with the person. Body language is easy to read but also easy to misinterpret. Make eye contact and match your facial expression with what you are saying. 

 

Different Styles of CommunicationDifferent Styles of Communication

 

Passive Aggressive Assertive

Disrespectful to oneself Disrespectful to others. Respectful to oneself as well as others.

Undervaluing personal needs, desires, feelings, knowledge, etc.

Overvaluing personalneeds, feelings, rights,etc.

Valuing appropriately personal needs, desires, feelings, etc.

Always placing others’ interest first, at the expense of oneself.

Exercising one’spersonal needs, rights,etc.

Considering one’s own self as well as others’ interests.

Remaining inactive in situations where personal rights, needs and feelings are ignored.

Demanding. Being confident and polite.

Yielding always to pressure against one’s wishes.

Being impoliteand rude

Talking as well as listening.

Suffering silently. Blaming others for negative happenings.

Expressing negative as well as positive feelings.

Blaming oneself for negative things in life.

Only talking and not listening.

Being both considerate as well as demanding.

Listening only to others. Standing up for one’s rights without domination of others