Review of new Ontario Health Curriculum, Grades 4-6

This is part two of a review of the new Ontario Health Curriculum. 

For part one, which covers my introduction to this blog series along with my review of the Curriculum's introduction and content for Grades 1-3, please click here. In this review, I'm walking through the curriculum page-by-page and including all excerpts which may be of some concern to Christian parents. After each excerpt, I include some of my own thoughts.  



Please note that throughout this curriculum, there is content related to puberty, which, in my opinion, is pretty standard stuff, so it won't be highlighted.

  Grades 4-6:

Teacher prompt: “Advances in technology have greatly increased our ability to get and share information and to communicate and collaborate with each other. But these benefits also come with some risks and potential difficulties, such as a possible loss of privacy, addiction, increased sedentary behaviour, or exposure to people who ask you for sexual pictures or want you to share personal information. What are some things you should do to use this technology safely? How can you get help if you get into trouble?”

Student: “I should make sure that an adult knows what I am doing when I’m using the computer, the Internet, or a cell phone, so I have someone who can help if needed. When I can, I should use a computer in a public space like a kitchen, living room, or library, instead of alone in my bedroom. I shouldn’t share my password or personal information. I should be aware that people are not always who they say they are online. I should close and delete pop-ups and spam messages without responding. If there’s a problem, I should stop right away and tell an adult instead of trying to solve the problem online. I should help my friends by reminding them of these tips.” (Grade 4, p.140)

Starting in Grade 4, students will learn about using technology in safe ways. Hopefully, as a parent, you've already had these conversations with your kids. Here, in particular, students learn about the possibility of predators asking for "sexual pictures" along with "personal information". In this discussion, students will talk about the importance of using a computer in a public space (a rule that every household should establish). They are also taught to tell adults if they encounter a problem online, and to encourage their friends to be safe online.

"Verbal bullying could include name calling, mocking, teasing about appearance,
including weight, size, or clothing, and making sexist, racist, or homophobic comments in person or online. Any of these kinds of bullying could cause emotional pain.” (Grade 4, p. 140)

Also in this section of the Grade 4 curriculum, students are taught about bullying, including making "homophobic comments in person or online". Personally, I'm not a fan of the term "homophobic", but I think it certainly needs to be conveyed that just because someone is different does not mean that verbal or physical bullying is acceptable.

"What strategies could you use in a situation where you were being harassed because of your sex, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, body shape, weight, or ability?” (Grade 5, p. 157)

In Grade 5, students will discuss bullying and harassment. Some of the reasons include gender identity, religion, sexual orientation and gender expression. Again, one of the things this new curriculum continues to stress is the importance of valuing and respecting others.

"Things I cannot control include where I was born, who is in my family, how much money my family has, and personal characteristics such as my skin colour, hair colour, whether I am male or female, my gender identity, sexual orientation, and overall body shape and structure. I could have a learning disability, a physical disability, or a health issue. All of these things are a part of who I am. I cannot control these things, but I can control what I do and how I act". (Grade 5, p. 159)

This excerpt is not a part of the teaching but is taken from a possible student response in regards to stress related to puberty. Here, it shows that a student may respond that they "cannot control" a number of things in their lives (including gender identity and sexual orientation).

"Ways of showing that you like someone that are inappropriate include touching them without their permission, spreading rumours about them to others or online, and making fun of them in order to get attention. Sharing private sexual photos or posting sexual comments online is unacceptable and also illegal.”” (Grade 5, p.159)

Like the excerpt above, this is part of a possible student response to the teacher asking about appropriate and inappropriate displays of affection and is not actually a part of the teaching. As parents, it might be a good idea to communicate long before Grade 5 that it's "unacceptable and also illegal" to share photos of your private areas and that if anyone asks you to do so, to tell a parent or teacher.

"Explain how a person’s actions, either in person or online, can affect their own and others' feelings, self-concept, emotional well-being, and reputation (e.g., negative actions such as name calling, making homophobic or racist remarks, mocking appearance or ability, excluding, bullying, sexual harassment [including online activities such as making sexual comments, sharing sexual pictures, or asking for such pictures to be sent]; positive actions such as praising, supporting, including, and advocating)". (Grade 5, p. 160)

Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions, including making "homophobic or racist remarks" and "sexual harassment (including online activities such as making sexual comments, sharing sexual pictures, or asking for such pictures to be sent). What I like about this in particular is that it doesn't normalize sexting, but discourages it, explaining that it is a form of sexual harassment.

"Identify factors that affect the development of a person’s self-concept (e.g., environment, evaluations by others who are important to them, stereotypes, awareness of strengths and needs, social competencies, cultural and gender identity, support, body image, mental health and emotional well-being, physical abilities)". (Grade 6, p. 172).

In Grade 6, students will talk about self-awareness (which might include gender identity). I'm actually quite surprised by the teacher and student responses on page 173, not because of questionable content, but because they're not written in a simple, conversational way similar to previous teacher/student responses. 

"Teacher prompt: Things like wet dreams or vaginal lubrication are normal and happen as a result of physical changes with puberty. Exploring one’s body by touching or masturbating is something that many people do and find pleasurable. It is common and is not harmful and is one way of learning about your body.”

We have arrived. This is probably the only part of the curriculum that I'm in complete disagreement with. In discussing puberty and the physical changes that the body goes through, the teacher is encouraged to normalize masturbation. One Christian reviewer had this to say: "I would add the word "medically" or "physically" between "not" and "harmful." That, however, reflects my worldview as a Christian. And it's something I'll teach my kids when they are ready for it." I suppose that's all we can do, isn't it? Parents, don't wimp out on talking to your kids about sex. Remember, as I said at the beginning, you are the greatest moral and spiritual influence in your child's life. Take advantage of that.

"Assess the effects of stereotypes, including homophobia and assumptions regarding gender roles and expectations, sexual orientation, gender expression, race, ethnicity or culture, mental health, and abilities, on an individual’s self-concept, social inclusion, and relationships with others, and propose appropriate ways of responding to and changing assumptions and stereotypes." (Grade 6, p. 177).

Also in Grade 6, students will be taught about stereotypes and discrimination, which include "homophobia and assumptions regarding gender roles and expectations, sexual orientation, and gender expression". This is mentioned again further down on the same page. Again, there is an emphasis on treating people who are different than you with value and respect.

"We can understand people’s sexual orientations better, for example, by reading books that describe various types of families and relationships. Not everyone has a mother and a father – someone might have two mothers or two fathers (or just one parent or a grandparent, a caregiver, or a guardian). We need to make sure that we don’t assume that all couples are of the opposite sex, and show this by the words we use. For example, we could use a word like ‘partner’ instead of ‘husband’ or ‘wife’. We need to be inclusive and welcoming.” “If we have newcomers from another country in our class, we can try to find out more about them, their culture, and their interests.” “If we hear things that are sexist, homophobic, or racist, we can show our support for those who are being disrespected.” (Grade 6, p. 177)

Like in some previous excerpts above, this is not a part of the actual teaching portion of the curriculum, but it is written as a possible student response when discussing stereotypes and discrimination. Here, the "student" responds by saying that there are many different types of families and that "inclusive and welcoming" language should be used. While this isn't a part of the teaching, I find it interesting that it suggests that the words "husband" or "wife" shouldn't be used. This is certainly something that's even relevant to adults, as I have often assumed that people were married and have used that terminology only to be corrected. On the other hand, I've also been in the situation where I've had to pay close attention to someone's conversation in order to determine how to best describe their spouse/partner/friend. Gone are the days when you could simply look at someone's ring finger to get all of the answers!

That sums up our look at the Ontario Health curriculum for Grades 4-6. Again, I've only highlighted content that has to do with the sexual education component that I feel would be of some interest to Christian parents. I will post part three (examining Grades 7-8) soon.

Review of new Ontario Health Curriculum, Grades 1-3

This is part one of a review of the new Ontario Health Curriculum.

Months ago, I began hearing "horror stories" about the adoption of a new, controversial, health curriculum coming to Ontario schools. Since then, I've seen online petitions and numerous blogs and Facebook posts criticizing the content of the curriculum.

This week, I skimmed through all 244 pages of the new Ontario Health curriculum and read everything that pertained to sex education. It's not exactly what I consider to be fun reading, but as both a parent of one child already in the public school system, and as a family pastor, I thought it might be a good idea to review the content for myself.

In my personal opinion, I think that the controversy may have been over-hyped. Yes, there are some sections of the curriculum that I would like to see omited, but for the most part, there's nothing within it that would cause me to pull my child from school. The simple truth is that kids today learn about sex from far more unreliable and dangerous sources. Some kids learn about sex from TV shows like 'Two and a Half Men', others hear about it in whispers and snickers from other kids in the schoolyard and neighborhood, and yes, tragically, 9 out of 10 children between the ages of 8 and 16 have viewed pornography on the Internet. Wow. That statistic makes this new curriculum seem pretty inconsequential, doesn't it? For more on that, read an article I wrote about protecting ourselves and our kids from pornography.

As Christian parents, we need to realize that we are the greatest moral and spiritual influence of our own children. We need to have candid conversations with them. We need to be their "go to" people for advice. We need to teach our kids how to safely navigate through a culture whose values often don't match our own. Throughout this review, I've taken excerpts from the curriculum which contains content that would be of interest to Christian parents. After each excerpt, I share some of my own thoughts on the content. 

Introduction and Grades 1-3:

It is also critical to student success to create an atmosphere in which students of all body shapes and sizes, abilities, gender identities and sexual orientations, and ethnocultural, racial, and religious backgrounds feel accepted, comfortable, and free from harassment. (Introduction, p. 17)

Gender identities and sexual orientations are included in this note to teachers about creating a safe and harassment-free atmosphere in school. I think this is important teaching for young children, as all through their lives they will be exposed to people who look or live different than they do. Children need to be taught that, no matter who they encounter, they need to treat others with love and respect. It's quite biblical. On page 27 and 67 of the document, it also talks about how children should be treated the same regardless of sex or gender identity.

Some topics within the Healthy Living strand need to be approached with additional sensitivity, care, and awareness because of their personal nature and their connection to family values, religious beliefs, or other social or cultural norms. These topics can include but are not limited to human development and sexual health, mental health, body image, substance abuse, addictions, violence, harassment, child abuse, gender identity, sexual orientation, illness (including HIV/AIDS), and poverty. (Introduction, p. 36)

Here, teacher's are reminded to teach things with sensitivity and awareness "because of their personal nature and their connection to family values and religious beliefs". As a Christian parent, I appreciate that.

Sexual health, understood in its broadest sense, can include a wide range of topics and concepts, from sexual development, reproductive health, choice
and sexual readiness, consent, abstinence, and protection, to interpersonal relationships, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, affection and pleasure, body image, and gender roles and expectations. (Introduction, p. 38)

In the introduction, we're told what topics might be included in the teaching on sexual health. We'll look at all of these in greater detail as they come up in the curriculum.

Identify body parts, including genitalia (e.g., penis, testicles, vagina, vulva), using correct terminology. (Grade 1, p. 93)

In Grade 1, children will be taught to identify all parts of the body and will learn the correct terminology.

Describe how visible differences...and invisible differences (e.g.,
learning abilities, skills and talents, personal or cultural values and beliefs, gender identity, sexual orientation, family background, personal preferences, allergies and sensitivities) make each person unique, and identify ways of showing respect for differences in others.

Teacher prompt: “Sometimes we are different in ways you can see. Sometimes we are different in ways you cannot see – such as how we learn, what we think, and what we are able to do. Give me some examples of things that make each person unique.

Student: “We all come from different families. Some students live with two parents. Some live with one parent. Some have two mothers or two fathers. Some live with grandparents or with caregivers. We may come from different cultures. We also have different talents and abilities and different things that we find difficult to do.” (Grade 3, p.124)

In Grade 3, children will be taught to respect and value people, including people of different "sexual orientation" and those who may have "two mothers or two fathers".  I would encourage parents to dialogue with their children about same-sex couples before they hit Grade 3. In Canada, same-sex couples can legally marry. Prior to Grade 3, your child will likely have seen same-sex couples walking hand-in-hand down the street, and may even have friends in their class who have gay parents. Pretending that it doesn't exist certainly isn't a wise approach. I began to talk with my own son about this when he was in JK because he has a friend in school who has gay parents and we went to their home for a birthday party. It's important that we communicate to our children our own values while also reminding our kids that no matter who we encounter in life, even if we might disagree with their choices, all people deserve love and respect.

Changes!

Hi parents!

I've decided to make a change to this blog (including the web address). While it started out as a blog for parents of teens in our CATALYST youth program, I've decided to expand it to be relevant to all parents at Arlington Woods. While the blog will still feature discussion questions based on what the teens are learning at CATALYST, it will also feature content to encourage and support parents who have young children.

The new address for this blog is http://awparents.blogspot.ca/

Want to receive updates right in your inbox? On the upper right side of the page is an area for you to enter your email and subscribe to the content on this page.

Coming soon... My breakdown of the new Ontario Health Curriculum. Yes, I've read through all 244 pages of it!

PB

December 5, 2014- "CONSUMED"

This week at CATALYST, I shared about our culture's love of "stuff". 

We are referred to as "consumers", creatures that never stop consuming and are never satisfied. That's what companies and brands want. They don't want us to be happy with what we have because that means we won't buy their new products. They spend millions of dollars marketing their products as the next thing we can't live without so that we keep on consuming. 

But have you ever noticed that "stuff" never satisfies? We can want something for months and months, we can think about that thing ALL OF THE TIME, but then, a week after we get what we so desperately wanted, we don't feel the same excitement we felt when we first bought it, and it isn't long before we start wanting something else instead. The old adage, "Money can't buy happiness" is true. The celebrities in our culture might have fame and wealth, the power to buy anything they want, but have you ever seen a happy celebrity? Our love of stuff is the reason why our culture is largely drowning in debt. According to a study from 2013, Canadians owe $1.64 for every $1 we earn. We are spending more than we have, making ourselves slaves to banks and credit card companies.

As a Christian, I find it difficult to live simply in a culture that tells me that I need to keep upgrading, that I won't be happy until I have the newest piece of technology in my hand. When I'm constantly bombarded with ads, it's hard to differentiate between what I NEED and what I WANT. I've found two ways to combat the materialism and consumerism that surrounds us. When people tell me that I can't live without _______________, this is what I think about. It keeps me grounded in reality. It curbs my appetite to CONSUME.

1. BE CONTENT

"True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." -1 Timothy 6:6-8

"Take care, and be on guard against covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions". - Jesus in Luke 12:15

Are you happy with what you have? Do you realize how incredibly blessed you are to live where you do and to be so well provided for? Do you realize that we are counted among the richest people in the world? When people tell me that I need to buy a house, I think about how my 2-bedroom apartment is a PALACE to the 80% of the world that lives on $10 or less a day. Be thankful for what you have! Think about how truly rich you are! The best way to curb our appetite to CONSUME is to realize that, for the most part, we live without any real NEEDS.

2. BE GENEROUS

I've heard a lot of people say that God must be evil for allowing people to die of hunger or from diseases that could be easily cured, but the truth is, God has left US in charge. As some of the wealthiest people in the world, we have a responsibility to spend less in order to give away more.

The Bible has a lot to say about money. But, interestingly, the verses that talk about spending money on ourselves are few and far between (actually, I could only find one). The Bible tells us that this is how we should spend our money:

1. To take care of our own family (1 Timothy 5:8)
2. To help those who are in need (too many to mention, but Acts 11:27-30 and Acts 2:44-45 are good ones)
3. To support spreading the good news of Jesus (1 Timothy 5:17-18, 2 Corinthians 9, Philippians 4)

It's amazing that, from childhood, our natural inclination is to not share. Our natural inclination is to be selfish. It is important, and biblical, to fight against this. It's important to be generous. When we are truly grateful for all that we have, when we realize how incredibly rich we are, the natural next-step is for us to spend less in order to give more.

DISCUSSION/TIPS: 

1. Ask your teen to write a list of all of the things they have- the things that someone living in poverty in Africa might only dream of. It'll be a long list. (food, clothes, ipod, video games) Take some time to pray together and thank God for how blessed, for how RICH, you are.

2. Think about ways that you can give as a family this year. One of our family traditions is to let our kids pick a few gifts from the World Vision catalogue. I share with them about how rich we are and that God has blessed us, not so that we can have more stuff, but so that we can help people who have nothing. By visiting World Vision on Youtube, you can see videos of how gifts like chickens or water filters can make a person feel like they've won the lottery. Think about ways that you can spend less in order to give more.

 


 

November 21, 2014, OUT OF HIDING

Tonight, I shared about the story of Peter, one of Jesus' disciples who had witnessed all kinds of miraculous things (even Lazarus being raised from the dead). The Bible makes it pretty clear that Peter believed that Jesus was the Son of God (Matthew 16:16). Peter also told Jesus that "even if all the other disciples desert you, I will NEVER desert you". (Matthew 26:33). When Jesus challenged him about those words, Peter even had the audacity to say, "Even if I have to die with you. I will never deny you!" (Matthew 26:35).

Peter talked a pretty good game, but Matthew 26:69-75 records that, just a few hours after making those brazen statements in front of Jesus and the disciples, after Jesus had been arrested, Peter denied even knowing him THREE times! What's so interesting about this passage is that nowhere does it indicate that the people asking Peter the questions were out for blood. It doesn't appear that they were asking with any amount of hostility. In fact, the questioners were likely people who had heard about Jesus, the things he taught, the miracles he had done, and they were probably a little confused as to why Jesus had been arrested. Peter missed out on an amazing opportunity to tell people about his experience with Jesus, all because he was too afraid of WHY the crowd was asking questions and too afraid of how they might respond if he told them the truth.

If we call ourselves Christians (Jesus-followers) we need to be open and honest with people about what we believe. That doesn't mean we need to preach a sermon in our school hallway, but it could mean something as simple as telling people we were at CATALYST when we're asked what we did on Friday night. There is a lot of temptation to hide our faith and live like we don't know Jesus in order to be accepted by the crowd, but when we keep what we believe hidden, we might be missing HUGE opportunities to point our friends towards the God who loves them like crazy.

Coming in January, we'll be starting YOUTH ALPHA, a video-based series that explores some of the deep questions about faith, life and God. I'm really encouraging teens to bring a friend along with them! It might be a bit scary or intimidating to invite someone to a "church" event, but if we push past that fear, God might do something awesome in our friend's lives as a result!

DISCUSSION:

1. Have you ever let fear get in the way of you doing something that would have been awesome? Do you ever regret being too afraid to do something?

2. Encourage your teens to think and pray about who they can invite with them to ALPHA in January. Take the time to pray with them for those friends....that they would love to come, and that through the questions and discussions, that they would be introduced to Jesus.

2. Challenge your teen to mention the ALPHA series to one of those friends within the next week. Even though it might be a little intimidating or uncomfortable, encourage your teen to push past the fear. It could be as simple as saying, "My youth group is doing a cool video/discussion series that tackles big questions about God and life-- like 'does God exist?' and 'what's the purpose of my life?'. There's also going to be some fun games and free food-- like pizza!" It's going to start in January, would you be interested in coming with me?"

Friday, November 14, 2014: ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

Tonight we talked about, arguably, the greatest superhero team-up movie, THE AVENGERS, and how, even heroes like Thor, Hulk and Iron Man need a little help sometimes. The tagline of the first Avengers movie was ASSEMBLY REQUIRED--that there's a need for these superheroes to work together in order to defeat hideous monsters and weird robots.

The Bible says the same thing to us-- that ASSEMBLY IS REQUIRED! That all of us who call ourselves Christians have a mission that requires us to work together as a team. The mission isn't to defeat hideous monsters, but it's to show and tell others that God loves them. Paul uses a pretty funny analogy to describe this kind of teamwork in 1 Corinthians 12. He describes the church (any group of Christians who regularly meet together) as being like a body made up of many different parts, but all of those parts work together as a team.

"Our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part. Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you". The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you". All of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of it."

1 Corinthians 12:18-21, 27

That passage conveys two important things:

1. You are here for a reason!

Just like our bodies weren't thrown together without any thought, Paul says that all of us are a part of the church for a reason- so that we would grow in our faith and grow tighter with God, but also so that we can plug in and serve in the unique way that only each of us can.

2. Without you, we're missing our arm!
Every part of your body is pretty important. If just one part went missing, life would be a whole lot harder and some tasks would almost be impossible to complete without some help. On the Amazing Race this year, one of the racers is Bethany Hamilton, a Christian surfer who lost her arm in a shark attack when she was a teenager. It is amazing to see what she can do with only one arm, but it's also a lot harder for her to complete tasks that would be relatively simple for us (try tying your shoes or buttoning your pants with only one arm!). Just like every part of our bodies is important, the Bible says that every single one of us has specific gifts, talents and interests that God has wired into us so that we can serve together as a part of the church. In short, we need you!  This youth group needs your involvement! This church (or the one you attend) needs your involvement! Without you, we're missing our arm. Sure, we can accomplish things, but think about how much easier it would be if we had your help! You don't have to wait until you're 37 be a part of "the body".

Discussion:

1. Imagine what life would be like if you were missing an arm like Bethany Hamilton. Think about your morning routine before you went to school. What would be more challenging? How would you brush your teeth? How would you put on your clothes?

2. Just like all our body parts work together as a part of a team, the people who make up the church are important parts of the team. If your teen serves in some aspect of church ministry, ask them what would happen if they just didn't show up. What would be different? Would it be easier for the church to accomplish its mission or harder? (for example, even being the person who cleans the toilets is ESSENTIAL. Without them, our building would stink, people would be disgusted and leave and first-time visitors would NEVER come back!)

3. If your teen doesn't yet serve in some aspect of church ministry (either on Sundays or during the week), encourage them to think about their own skills and interests (things that God has wired into them for a purpose) and ask them how they could help or serve in some way as a part of the team-- as a part of the Body of Christ. Without your teen, it's a lot harder for us to accomplish our mission!

4. Encourage your teen to talk to myself or another pastor (at this church or theirs) to find ways that they can be a part of the team!

November 7, 2014: Friend Request Part 3- MIND EACH OTHER'S BUSINESS!

This week, I wrap up our three part "Friend Request" series with a talk called "Mind Each Other's Business".

This week, we looked at one of the strangest (and one of the most disturbing) passages in the Bible, where Paul is writing a letter to the church in Corinth. Corinth was a multicultural city with multiple religions where the prevailing attitude was "If it feels good, do it". In short, it was like Las Vegas--only sleazier. When people first heard about Jesus and formed the church in Corinth, all of a sudden the Christians had to figure out how to follow Jesus while living in such a sin-sick environment. We have the same problem today. As Christians surrounded by people of different religions and values, where temptation is everywhere, following Jesus and living the way God wants us to do can be SUPER HARD.

The church in Corinth was pretty messed up. The Christians were still involved in idol worship, they were getting drunk off communion wine and they had even allowed temple prostitution to creep its way into the church (the pagan religions at the time were known for having sex in church as worship to their gods). In 1 Corinthians 5:1-2, Paul writes about a particular situation he got wind of-- a man in the church was sleeping with his stepmother (yes, the Bible has some racy stuff inside it). While Paul says that this was shameful, he was more shocked at how everybody in the church was minding their own business. Nobody talked to the guy about the way he was living his life, instead they just gossiped about it until the news traveled to Paul (over 500 kilometers away) at a time where there were no phones or Internet. Paul wrote to the church saying, "Shouldn't this break your hearts? Shouldn't it bring you to your knees in tears? Shouldn't this person and his conduct be confronted and dealt with?

The way we can best survive while living in a sin-sick culture is by being a part of a community that really cares for our well-being, where we can surround ourselves with people who look out for us and encourage us. The mark of a true friend is someone willing to confront someone you care about (in a loving way) and to do whatever you can to steer them in the right direction. That's why getting together as the church is so important. That's why a community of Christian teens is important. We need to surround ourselves with friends who ACTUALLY care about us physically and spiritually. Do we have friends like that? Are WE friends like that?

According to the Bible, friendship means minding EACH OTHERS' business. It means looking our for each other. It means having each others' back. What kind of person turns a blind eye to a "friend" who is in need or in trouble? What kind of person stays silent when their "friend" is making destructive choices?

DISCUSSION:

1. Take a look at these Bible verses with your teen and ask them what it means to them:

-Proverbs 27:10-  "Never abandon a friend—either yours or your father’s."

-Proverbs 27:17- "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble."

Proverbs 27:5, "Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend".

Galatians 6:1-2, Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

2. If you had a piece of spinach stuck in your teeth, would you want someone to tell you or stay silent? If you stunk REALLY bad, would you want your "friends" to tell you? What would a REAL friend do in that situation?  Would it be easy or hard? Would you appreciate their help? Remind your teen that, while it might sometimes be awkward, a REAL friend looks out for the people in their life.

3. Does your teen know someone in his/her life who is trouble or is making some really bad choices? Are they worried about a friend? Take the time to pray for that person and encourage your teen to have the guts to confront their friend about it (in a loving way). It might be tough and awkward, but real friends mind each other's business.