15 December, 2014
“Art, like morality, consists of drawing the line somewhere,” said English writer G.K. Chesterton. Unfortunately, when many teens want to draw the line on disrespectful behavior, they become disrespectful themselves.
Standing up for yourself—without resorting to inappropriate behavior—is an important skill. Here are some tips to offer your teen:
~Don’t retaliate in kind. This is the hardest lesson to learn, but it’s also the most important. The key is to stay calm while others lose their heads. Teach your teen to take deep breaths or to count to ten.
~Don’t let disrespectful people continue to get away with their behavior. Silence alone will just encourage the person. Teach your teen to say something like, “I feel uncomfortable when you use language like that.”
~Teach your teen to trust his instincts. If he thinks that a person may truly be dangerous, it’s best to get out of the situation quickly. Ask a teacher, a police officer or another adult for help in those cases.
Source: Sam Horn, Tongue Fu at School: 30 Ways to Get Along Better with Teachers, Principals, Students, and Parents, (Scarecrow Education).
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Hopkinton Middle School
