Topics or Activities for Youth Discussion

Let's face it, it's never easy to find topics for youth that will engage them in the types of things you want and need to talk about. Do you remember when you were young? Like most teens, you probably rebelled against authority and became bored at the thought of talking to an adult. But this doesn't mean you shouldn't try talking to youths. Teens are exposed to a number of things that they need to be educated about if they are to grow successfully into their adult years.

  1. Sex

    • This is probably one of the more difficult things to talk about with young people, but it's one of the more important. Young people are engaging in sexual behavior at younger and younger ages, so the earlier you can discuss sex and its pros and cons the better. To avoid the initial uncomfortable tone of discussing sex, you might first point out some of the dangers of engaging in unprotected sex, like STDs and unexpected pregnancies. You might then be somewhat more comfortable discussing the joys of sex when the two people truly care about each other. Every parent or guardian has his own rule or understanding of what age someone should be when they begin to engage in sex, but it's important to let the youth know that sex is a very powerful thing that affects relationships in a profound way.

    Illicit Drugs

    • No other generation in history has been as exposed to illicit drugs as our generation of young people. This is a war that our society and our government has been fighting for decades with little success. Perhaps success can begin to come with frank discussions about the dangers of using drugs. When you talk to youth about drugs, be specific and don't be scared to be absolutely blunt. Shying away from the realities of drug use will do nothing but bore your teen. Do you know anyone who was affected by drug abuse? If so, talk about this person and give the teen a concrete example of the pitfalls of drug use.

    Bullying

    • Bullying is a growing problem in our society and it is a topic that needs to be discussed if we are to reduce or eliminate it. If you believe a teen is being bullied, talk to her, let her know she isn't alone, and let her know that she can get help. Often, young people don't want to discuss being bullied because they think it makes them look weak or because they believe it will perpetuate the bullying. If you find that your teen isn't wanting to discuss the bullying, try relaying a story about a time that you were bullied, or try having a person of his age with you---he may feel more comfortable talking about the bully with someone who understands the situation. If you believe a young person is doing the bullying, talk to him, but try not to attack him and accuse him. Try to understand why he is bullying others. Perhaps he is lacking in self-confidence or perhaps he has very few friends and this makes him angry, so he lashes out at the people around him. There are often two victims in a bullying situation: the one experiencing the bullying and the one who resorts to bullying to deal with feelings of loneliness and fear.

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