Boarding Schools for Girls

"When no boys are in the classroom girls take part more. They answer more questions, and they argue more. I guess you would say they debate more, but I remember the same situation happening when boys were in the class and a couple of them yelled out "Cat Fight!" The girls got angry, and they stopped debating."

Boarding School Guides:

Teen Boarding Schools
Boarding Schools Info

How to Protect Your Teen from Dating Violence

By Staff Writer

While teen dating violence is more prevalent than many parents think, not all teens end up in abusive relationships. What teens are taught about relationships by their parents can go a long way to making sure that they do not become victims of dating violence.

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships

Teens learn about relationships through modeling, meaning they pick up on how they are supposed to behave by what they see in other relationships, either in the real world, on TV or in the movies. Often, though, these relationships are not healthy, and your teens may end up learning the wrong lessons about how to be in a relationship.

Healthy relationships involve two people who show each other mutual respect, know how to communicate and who genuinely care for one another. These relationships offer each person support, comfort and security, creating a solid partnership.

Unhealthy relationships, on the other hand, often involve disrespect, lack of communication and insecurity. One or both partners may be involved with drug or alcohol abuse, infidelity, lying, or other behaviors that cause the partnership to not be strong and supportive.

It's important for teens to learn about healthy relationships: what they look like, what it takes to be in one and how to maintain one. Learning these lessons early on can help them stay out of abusive situations in the future because they will know what to look for in a partner.

Important Lessons to Teach

One in 10 high school students has been hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend, and one in four teens reports verbal, physical, emotional or sexual abuse each year. Victims of dating violence are at increased risk for injury, substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, eating disorders and suicide attempts.

By teaching your teens the following lessons, you may be able to prevent them from getting involved in a relationship that results in violence:

• Assertiveness: Teach your teens to stand up for themselves and to be open and honest about their feelings and expectations. With this skill, your teens will be able to stop behaviors they don't like and encourage behaviors that they do.
• Anger Control: Teach your teens to never express their anger through violence. Have them learn to calm down and think about what is bothering them before they react.
• Good Communication: Stress the importance of good communication by both people involved in the relationship. Model it at home in your relationship with your teen and your own partner.
• Negotiation and Compromise: All relationships require negotiation and compromise. Teach your teens to recognize different points of view and the importance of having some give and take in a relationship. Stress that, in a healthy relationship, one partner is not always doing the compromising – each partner has to give in at some point.
• Honesty: A healthy relationship requires honesty and an open dialogue. Reinforce the importance of honesty with your teens, and encourage them to be truthful in any situation.
• Confidence: Build confidence in your teen by acknowledging their hard work, rewarding them for accomplishments and letting them know how proud of them you are. Teens who are more self-confident are less likely to get involved in abusive relationships, and are more likely to get out of them quickly if they do.
• Signs of Dating Violence: Talk with your teens about recognizing the signs of dating violence. Many may not realize that emotional abuse is just as bad as physical abuse, and may tolerate more than they should.

Talking to Your Teen

With February's designation as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, now is as good a time as any to talk to your teen about the signs and risks of teen dating violence. The Liz Claiborne Inc.'s Love is Not Abuse program offers these tips for talking to your teen:

• Keep an open environment. Be available to listen to your teens.
• Give your undivided attention. Sit down one-on-one with your teens and listen.
• For important topics, start the talk. Kids want to hear from parents.
• Talk to kids on their level, respecting their intelligence. Don't condescend or use too many analogies.
• With important topics, talk often. Reinforce values and keep channels open.
• Understand the real questions being asked and give honest answers. Pre-teens want you to cut through the double-talk.

Make a point to sit down with your teens to discuss dating violence with them. Talking to your teens about these issues now can prevent them from becoming one of the nearly 1.5 million high school students who experience abuse from a dating partner each year.

What are the different types of girls boarding schools? Learn about specialized boarding schools for girls, such as boarding schools that specialize in learning disabilities, Asperger's syndrome, oppositional defiance, and substance abuse issues

What do the studies show about girls-only boarding schools? Statistics and other studies on how girls' only schools impact girls' learning, education, and academic performance >>

Quick Links: