1. By Zachary

2. How do boy’s mind’s work?
Boys, in general, have a couple of common points.
During puberty, they think about many things. These
feelings confuse the mind, for urges that have never been
felt are distressing for young adolescents. They will often
try to relate these feelings to already present emotions.
However, this will only act to further confuse. Movies are
also a main point of tried relationship, for not everything
is “true love”.

3. How do boy’s mind’s work?
(continued)
Boys will often try to relate to the opposite gender as a
mere “possession”. This means that they will not
understand the meaning of a whole relationship. Boys
will often not experience an actual, healthy crush until at
least fourteen. Still, even then it is good to encourage
against any big ideas, such as sexual intercourse. Due to
movie influence, boys think that it is perfectly
acceptable to do so but it is dangerous for both at such
an undeveloped stage.

4. What’s on a boy’s mind?
In a straight point of view, a boy thinks of:
Girls
Schoolwork
Drugs
Alcohol
Work
The Future

5. Drugs and Alcohol
We all know about what drugs and alcohol do, so today
I’m not going to talk about the effects, but rather
prevention. With most anti-drug and alcohol films and
programs, people focus on what happens. This would be
good on an adult, but adults are clearly not teenagers.
Talking about the effects may cause curiosity to take
hold, making boys want to try it out for themselves.
What I am going to talk about is what programs to use in
conjunction with these.

6. Drugs and Alcohol (continued)
With this in mind, there are two solutions. The first, but
the worst, is to try reverse psychology. If a boy feels
oppressed, which most adolescents will feel at one point,
they will always try to do the exact opposite of whatever
given task. In this, I’m not saying to blatantly encourage
the use of drugs and alcohol, but am pointing out that
often the reason boys take drugs and alcohol is to signify
freedom. With this solution, it may be best to leave the
issue alone.

7. Drugs and Alcohol (continued)
In the second solution, one may try to use famous people
as an example. Famous people usually effect their fans
enormously, setting new trends by accident and other
such acts. However, when using celebrities be careful to
use something that the majority will know of. Also, be
aware of passing fads. In a five week long session the
celebrity may have to change two or three times. This
won’t work with all people but it will on the majority.

8. Work and the future
With work, most boys will want to go and work as soon
as possible. However, this isn’t always good. Year Twelve
is the one most important year of their lives, and if they
fail it, their lives are ruined. Work for teenagers often
involves hours stretching far into the night, disabling
study. There are also weekend shifts, destroying entire
days. In some family's it is not possible for teenagers to
not work but, if there is an alternative, it is wise to
encourage against work.

9. What to avoid
In any situation, there are some things never to say. It is
the same with adolescents. Here is a small list:
“Not under this roof you don’t!” this phrase is often used
in arguments. However, it is a terrible thing to say
because, for the adolescent mind, this directly says to
move out, a choice that needs careful consideration.

10. What to avoid (continued)
Phrases like “tough luck” and “too bad”. Adolescents
often feel oppressed by parents and other such figures of
authority already, and phrases such as these may inflame
already active feelings. This may result in fierce
arguments over the topic being discussed, and
ultimately, the act of doing something rash.

11. What to avoid (continued)
Never be insensitive to adolescents. Adolescents, as I
have already mentioned, already feel oppressed by
figures of power so insensitivity will enflame this soft
spot, possibly giving rise to much more serious
problems.

12. How does a girl’s mind work?
Girls are very sensitive in adolescence, even more so than
boys. High self esteem is essential for girls, for they will
always try to pick at themselves (I’m not pretty enough,
etc.) Teenage girls often are very ruthless bullies, more so
than boys. Because of this, it is important to be very
sensitive and be ready to talk to them at any time. A girl’s
attitude to a boy is very much different than a boy’s
attitude to a girl. First, there is no confusion of living
beings and possessions as there is with boys.

13. How does a girl’s mind work?
(continued)
Girls, if anything, have a heightened sense of a true
relationship, in the form of romance. However, through
this, girls have much higher expectations than boys. In
this, girls have a higher sense of class, probably the basis
of the age old tradition of the man asking the woman
out. Girls tend to be more group active than boys,
forming only two or so groups in a bunch where boys
would form five. Girls, probably from this, have a strong
sense of community, more so in adolescence than any
other time.

14. What’s on a girl’s mind?
Boys
Drugs
Alcohol
Self-image
Social Standing

15. Self Image
During adolescence a girl is extremely self-conscious.
This, although not extremely bad in itself, can lead on to
much more serious issues. Depression may result from
being overly self conscious, causing sleeping disorders
and eating disorders. As we all know, the body relies on
sleep and food, so these disorders will kill many brain
cells, not at all aiding study and schoolwork. A way to try
and tackle this serious issue is to give a reason to not be
depressed, a constant thing to look forward to. Another
technique could be to try and aid their socal standing,
this being one of the main issues.

16. Social Standing
A girl’s social standing is also very important. With a low
rank, she will be a target for often ferocious bullies.
There isn’t much one can do about this, for the parent
can’t go to school with the child. One can try to be a
shoulder to lean on, somewhere where the child can
come home to and be safe. It is often good, if it is
obvious your child is being harassed, to go to a
counsellor. Try not to make it obvious that they are
seeing a counsellor, for adolescents don’t like to be
seeing a “shrink”.

17. What not to say
Never appear insensitive. Although a female adolescent
may never use it, it is good to appear willing and able to
help.
Never be too busy. Adolescents, as they are going into
high school, feel themselves busy so to say that you are
busy is almost an insult in itself, as if they are not really
busy.

18. How does all of this tie into the
Christian teaching?
Teenagers have a vast range of emotions and behavioural
choices as well as a certain amount of freedom. This
reflects directly of being made in the image of God, for
He also has a vast range of emotions and behavioural
choices and infinite freedom to do what He pleases.

19. Bibliography
Lots of the information on this Powerpoint I have
collected through surveys of older students. However,
most of the girl information was found using articles
from The University of New South Wales.