Category: Teens-Decision Making
Short-Term vs. Long-Term
Help teens consider future consequences. Workshop exercises: 1) Choose a common teen decision. 2) List immediate rewards and costs. 3) List possible effects in one month and one year. 4) Identify the choice most consistent with long-term goals.
Avoid scare tactics. Teach realistic consequence forecasting.
When Everyone Else Is Doing It
Strengthen independent judgment. Workshop exercises: 1) Write a scenario involving group pressure. 2) Identify what makes conformity attractive. 3) List three possible responses. 4) Practice one response aloud.
Belonging is a powerful developmental need. Build alternatives rather than simply telling teens not to care what others think.
Learning from Mistakes
Turn poor decisions into growth. Workshop exercises: 1) Describe a mistake using facts, not self-insults. 2) Identify the consequence. 3) Write what you learned. 4) Choose a repair action and prevention step.
Accountability should not become shame. Separate ‘I made a bad choice’ from ‘I am a bad person.’
Wise Risk Taking