Dear Parent or Guardian,

One of the keys to building and maintaining healthy personal
relationships is the development of communication skills. Because human
interaction is based on the exchange of thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, an
understanding of personal values is crucial. This is especially true for
adolescents who are developing an awareness of self and adjusting to the
demands of our society.
Your adolescents’ health class is currently examining life skills that
will help prepare them for independence and maturity. We are focusing on
identifying and building positive character traits and practicing behaviors
that demonstrate respect for self and others. Basing decisions on personal
and family values will provide your teen the basis for goal setting, conflict
resolution, refusal skills, and stress management.
Some questions your teen will explore include: What skills are needed to
build and maintain healthy relationships? How can refusal skills be
developed? What is conflict resolution, and how can I use it to solve
disagreements? How can I use self-management skills to take responsibility
for my health and promote healthful behaviors? What part do values play in
the decision-making process? How can I learn to make short-term and long-term
goals? What is good character? How can I demonstrate good character? What
does it mean to be a role model?
Please reinforce our classroom work by discussing with your son or
daughter one or more of the following topics:
• Ask your son or daughter to explain how he or she utilizes refusal
skills when interacting with peers. You may want to role-play a few difficult
situations and collaborate on ways to implement refusal skills.
• Ask your son or daughter to name some short and long-term goals. Ask
him or her to explain the action-plan steps that are being followed to attain
these goals. Discuss the importance of goals and the value of an action plan.
• Ask your teen to identify a number of good character traits. Have your
son or daughter explain why those particular traits were chosen. Discuss why
such characteristics are beneficial.
• Discuss with your teen the concept of being a role model. Ask your
teen to name people he or she looks up to. Then ask him or her to name people
who might be perceived as role models.
Developing positive health skills is a life-long endeavor. Hopefully, we
can work together to help your teen establish an understanding of the role
character plays in making healthful life choices. Thank you for supporting
our classroom work. Feel free to contact me if you wish to discuss your
adolescent's health studies.

Sincerely,
Amanda Jylkka-Mattson
Health Educator