SIX INGREDIENTS TO HEALTHY LOVE

Valentine’s day is approaching and love is in the air! According to Pew Research, “35% of teens are in some form of romantic relationship” (Pew Research, 2019). It’s important to make sure our youth are well-informed on how to have healthy relationships. Like all handcrafted things, healthy love can take time and a good recipe. Show youth how healthy relationships should look with this ingredients list!

THE INGREDIENTS

  • Self-Love – The first step before learning to love someone else is to love yourself. As a caring adult, try encouraging youth to practice positive thinking. It’s important for youth to treat themselves with respect before entering a relationship.

    • Handy Tips: Practice self-love by telling yourself one positive thing about yourself every day. Make it a habit to treat yourself with kindness.

  • Consent – Consent is crucial in any healthy relationship. Make sure youth understand what consent is and the importance of it.

    • Handy Tips: Encourage youth to practice consent at every level of their relationship. Safe Secure Kids defines consent, “Consent means giving someone a choice about touch or actions and respecting their answer” (Safe Secure Kids, 2020). It’s always best to ask than assume.

  • Boundaries – Setting boundaries are important to maintaining a healthy balance in a relationship. It’s important for youth to set boundaries in both friendships and romantic relationships.

    • Handy Tips: A relationship should not dominate every aspect of your life. Make sure there is a balance of school, family, friends, etc.

  • Respect – Teach youth to respect themselves and to respect others. Youth respect themselves by being true to themselves and respect others by obeying boundaries and consent.

    • Handy Tips: Practice self-respect by recognizing red flags in a relationship and checking in with yourself

  • Honesty and Trust – A relationship cannot be healthy without honesty and trust. Both people in a relationship should be transparent with their significant other. They should also feel trust with one another.

    • Handy Tips: Honesty and trust may sound easy but sometimes it can get complicated. Remember to stay true to yourself and what you value.

  • Communication – Maintaining an open line of communication between one’s partner is a key part of any healthy relationship. It’s also a good idea to ensure youth have a trusted adult to talk to about their relationship.

    • Handy Tips: Are your youth feeling down or confused? Encourage them to communicate their thoughts and concerns with their partner. So much can get lost due to miscommunication. Make sure they know they shouldn’t be afraid to ask for clarification.

RESOURCES

Introduction video. Teaching Consent | Safe Secure Kids. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2022, from https://www.safesecurekids.org/teaching-consent#:~:text=What%20is%20Consent%3F,language%20%22asking%20for%20permission.%22

Lenhart, A., Anderson, M., & Smith, A. (2019, December 31). Basics of teen romantic relationships. Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2015/10/01/basics-of-teen-romantic-relationships/

The 7 ingredients of a healthy relationship | Psychology Today. (n.d.). Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-truisms-wellness/201612/the-7-ingredients-healthy-relationship

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