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PARENT RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF YOUTH
What
do I need to know about youth?
Keeping
up-to-date on youth issues and trends can be a full time job.
Our goal in this sections to give you some of the basics
in understanding young people—things to be aware of as
you work with them, things to watch and listen for, things that
are normal for this age group. Knowing what to expect goes a ling way to making
us feel comfortable with youth.
The following chard outlines the most important development
needs of older adolescents (15-19).
Understanding each of the needs of youth helps us
work more effectively with them.
Developmental Needs of Older Adolescents
» Exploration and Experimentation: opportunities
to experiment with a wide array of behaviors,
roles, attitudes, relationships, ideas, and activities as they
develop their own identity and faith
identity.
» Adult Sexuality: opportunities to
understand their sexual growth and integrate their sexuality
into their personalities in a holistic way; opportunities to
develop healthy values and attitudes
regarding their own sexuality.
» Interpersonal Relationship: opportunities to form positive relationships
and experiences with peers in a comfortable
and secure environment and to develop friendship
making skills and the skills for maintaining friendships.
» Meaningful Roles in the Community and Society: opportunities
to participate as full members and
leasers in the community, society, and church; opportunities
for service – locally
and globally.
» Preparing for the Future: opportunities
to acquire the competencies necessary for adult
roles, such as goal setting, problem solving, time management,
and decision making; opportunities
to explore life options and plan their futures (education, career)
and to help them acquire the skills,
knowledge, and experience for their chosen field.
» Personal Value System and Decision-Making Skills: opportunities to discuss conflicting
values and formulate their own value system; opportunities to
gain knowledge and experience in making
decisions and to apply Christian moral values in making
moral judgments.
» Personal Faith: opportunities to explore
and question the faith they have been given by
their family and the faith community and develop their own faith
identity; opportunities to explore
what it means to be a and live as a person of faith today and
develop of more personal relation ship
with Jesus Christ.
»
Adult Mentors: opportunities
to develop relationships with adult Christians who affirm their
journey and struggles, explore sensitive issues with them, listen
to their stores and questions, share their own faith journey,
and ask questions that encourage critical thing and reflection.
25 Guidelines for Good Communication
Let’s start with the basics – good communication is
at the heart of effective parenting.
Here are 25 guidelines that capture the essence of effective
communication.
1.
We must be committed to communication.
2. We must be convinced
that we are a gift to be given, and that
through their self-disclosure others are a gift offered to us.
3. We must be determined
t be honest with ourselves.
The Successful
Practice of Sharing Oneself
(Speaking)
4.
In sharing ourselves with others, we must always take full
responsibility for our own actions and reactions. As
a consequence of this, we will make “I statements,”
not “ Your statements.”
5. We must speak only for ourselves. In communication I should make it clear that
I am speaking only my
truth, and not the truth.
6.
We must share all our significant feelings with those to
whom we are relating.
7.
We must be courageous enough to share our personal vulnerability
with one another.
8.
We should express gratitude to our listeners.
The Successful
Practice of Accepting the Sharing of Another
(Listening)
9.
We should be “present and ” available”
to others who offer to share themselves with us.
10.
We should accept others wherever they are.
11.
We must listen attentively to learn the “inner consistency”
of others.
12.
We must not indulge in mind games by judging the intentions
and motives o others.
13.
We should register emphatic and reassuring reactions to
others when they are sharing themselves with us.
14.
We should clarify the message that is being delivered,
trying always to understand accurately the meaning if others.
15.
In the role of listener we should offer only suggestions
and never directions.
16.
As listeners we should avoid all blocks to communication.
17.
We should explicitly thank those who have shared themselves
with us.
General Practices
that Promote Good Interpersonal Communication
18.
Good communication requires that the communicators spend
special or quality time together.
19.
Touching is an important form of communication.
20.
To become more effective communicators we must “stretch”
beyond our “comfort zones.”
21.
We must be ready to apologize when an apology is appropriate
and helpful.
22.
We must avoid a buildup of tension.
23.
At times of crisis in communication we will need to use special
approaches.
24.
Whether speaking or listening, the motive of the good communicator
must always be love.
25.
We should pray for the enlightenment and the courage to
communicate well.
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