1. You Can Have A Healthy Marriage PAPA Session 12 Created by T Stivers Schindewolf Intermediate State Mandated Course

2. In groups, list as many characteristics as you can of a healthy marriage. Check off with my list afterwards.

3. Characteristics of Healthy Marriages 1.Commitment 2.Fidelity 3.Acceptance of one another 4.Trust 5.Intimacy, love, and affection

4. 6. Activities and friendships 7. Conflict resolution 8. Communication 9. Lack of violence – NONE 10. Satisfaction with relationship

5. Watch Session 12 video

6. Remember: A caring boyfriend or girlfriend will motivate you and support you rather than confine or control you. No relationship is perfect! If a little voice inside you is saying that something is not right in the relationship, LISTEN

7. Relationship Skills 1.Build and maintain trust – discuss expectations, honor commitments, respect the others boundaries 2.Communicate Effectively – Be honest, listen, check understanding, avoid reading minds & flipping the script 3.Manage Conflict Effectively – recognize conflict, discuss in private, listen carefully, take a time out if tempers build, discuss what to do differently next time SKIP

8. Do you think it is possible for teens to marry and have a successful long-lasting marriage? Why or why not?

9. Do you think having a child before you marry improves or lessens the chances of a lasting union ? Why or why not?

10. Activity: Marriage Facts and Fiction 4 teams Spokesperson per team who must confer quietly with the team before giving the TEAM answer Each correct answer gets a point

11. In the last 40 years, people have been getting married at younger and younger ages. Fiction

12. The majority of adults, 21 yrs old and older are married. FACT

13. Of those adults who are married, most have been married more than once. Fiction

14. Over the last 20 years the divorce rate has continued to climb Fiction

15. Having a baby while she is single has no impact on whether a young woman will ever get married. Fiction

16. Married people or NO happier than single or divorced people. Fiction

17. Married people are physically healthier than those who are not married. FACT

18. When you get married, you tend to have fewer financial resources than when you’re single. Fiction

19. Couples are more likely to follow through on their plans to marry (one year later) when the fathers continue their education beyond high school. Fact

20. Women are more likely than men to end the relationship because of ongoing conflicts FICTION

21. On average, children are better off when their parents are married than when their parents are single or living together. FACT