Healthy Relationships Utah Teens
November 2021
TEEN TALK
Developing Positive Qualities
The key to a good relationship begins with understanding and developing yourself. Take the time to develop and increase your positive qualities. These qualities are expressed most when you feel calm, stable, and peaceful. They help you have successful relationships.

Understanding and developing yourself also means becoming aware of and decreasing your negative tendencies. These negative tendencies are expressed when you feel angry, insecure, or stressed.

This month, take a free personality test. Write out your top five positive personality traits and steps for how you would like to develop them. Post them where you will see them often. Then write out your top three negative personality traits and steps for how you would like to reduce them. Check in on yourself every month to see how you are progressing.
RESOURCES
Child Safety & Protection Month
November is Child Safety and Protection Month. If you have reason to believe children have been or are at risk of neglect or abuse, please call the Utah Department of Child and Family Services at 1-855-323-3237.

Support for pregnant women in need of temporary financial or other help is available through visiting BabyYourBaby.org or texting BABY to 511411.
PARENTING TIP
Increasing Positive Interactions
To develop a healthy relationship, you need at least five positive interactions or feelings for each negative interaction or feeling.

There are so many ways to increase positive interactions! Some things you can easily include in your daily routines are:

  • Actively listen when your teen is talking.
  • Give out lots of high-fives, fist bumps, or hugs.
  • Leave them nice notes.
  • Acknowledge their positive traits.
  • Be playful and joke around with them.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, think about all the reasons you are grateful for your child, and then share those things with them throughout the month. Doing so will help increase the positive interactions with your child and help you achieve the healthy relationship you desire.
QUOTE CORNER
Quotes About the
Love Notes Curriculum
“When this class started I was in a toxic relationship. After a few lessons, I ended it. Since then, I’m interested in another boy, but I’m making sure to take it slow this time and build the relationship as well as share my boundaries. I want it to be healthy this time.”

-17 Year Old Female Participant
Did you know? Free classes are offered for singles, couples, parents, and blended families along the Wasatch Front! Anyone can sign up at HealthyRelationshipsUtah.org 
Funding for this program was provided by the OPA Grant: TP1AH000232. Additional support was provided by Utah State University Extension. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are those of the presenters/authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funders. Utah State University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution and is committed to a learning and working environment free from discrimination, including harassment. For USU’s non-discrimination notice, see