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Part One Personal Development
However, you must also be prepared to cope with the
challenges of life. Difficult times will come not only to you,
but to people you love and for whom you are responsible.
Success in meeting these challenges requires a positive,
constructive outlook and the ability to put troubles in
perspective. You will need to know how to get help
when help is needed. As a teen, you have a chance to
learn responsibility as you mature.
Learning to Be Responsible
Teens are capable of handling many new
responsibilities. Fulfi lling these responsibilities is one
way you become more independent.
Independence is something you earn by proving you
can handle responsibility. Many teens wish they could press a button
and be awarded instant independence, but it does not work that way.
For instance, Jeff lamented that his parents never allowed him to take
the family car anywhere without them. He was 16 and had his driver’s
license. Jeff could not understand why, so he asked his dad. His dad
explained, “Jeff, we asked you to mow the yard every week, but many
weeks I had to do it myself. We asked you to let us see your homework.
You always said you had done it. Then we were called by your teacher,
who said you might fail because you didn’t turn in your homework. You
have not followed through on these responsibilities. We can’t give you
any more freedom because you have not learned to act responsibly.”
Greater rewards have to be earned by fulfi lling responsibilities—big
and small. Mowing the lawn may not seem important, but someone
has to do it. You cannot always pick and choose responsibilities. You
accept what needs to be done to help your family. Then you fulfi ll the
responsibilities to the best of your ability.
Becoming responsible is not simply a matter of performing tasks
assigned to you. Responsible people also take charge of their conduct.
They own up to their actions and answer for them. If your actions are
questioned or if your behavior is not acceptable, you may try to blame
someone or something else. “He made me do it,” you may say. If you
fail a test, you may say your friend borrowed your book, or you had to
work late. The truth is you did not take time to study.
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As you mature, you begin to think more deeply about yourself
and the world around you.