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Considering the needs of other members of the family may also
mean allotting just a reasonable amount of space for your clothes,
school things, and personal items; making sure your food ration
does not deprive other household members of nourishment; and regulating
your use of facilities like the telephone. -
Talk with your parents and siblings. Communication among family
members is very important. Parents express their love and concern
for their children through words and actions; they give advice
on good conduct and proper behavior. In return, parents are
always happy to hear you talk about your day in school or about
your friends. It also pleases parents to see the children sharing
stories or giving each other advice regarding certain issues.
These moments of sharing keep the family together.
- Respect parents and siblings. Filipinos usually demonstrate
respect for the older members of the family by addressing parents
and other adults with care and respect and caregivers for older
siblings. Respect is also shown by acknowledging each other's
needs for privacy. Bedroom, cabinets, and bags are never used
or opened without the permission of the owner. Likewise, never
read diaries and letters that do not belong to you.
- Do things in moderation. Conflicts arise when teenagers go
beyond the limits set by parents. They come home in the early
morning hours from parties, they spend the whole day everyday
with their friends, they eat too much or too little, they indulge
in junk food rather than fruits and vegetables, they study too
much and have very little time for socials, or they attend too
many socials at the expense of their studies. Parents trust
teenagers who can prove that they are responsible and trustworthy.
Learn to restructure your schedule.
- Be sensitive to the financial situation of the family. When
resources are limited, try to find ways of cutting personal
expenses. For example, why not bring packed lunch and drinking
water to school instead of buying food and water from the school
cafeteria? Or, initiate activities which can generate income.
Here are
some income-generating activities you can undertake with the
help of he other members in your family:
- Ask your
parents, sisters, and brothers to rummage through their things
for clothes, books, and other belongings that they no longer
have use for. Gather everything then organize a garage sale
in your home.
- Cook some snacks or merienda which you can sell in the neighborhood
or in school.
- Recycle materials into decorative or functional items. For
instance, retazos or scraps of cloths may be sewn together to
make potholders or quilts. Learn how to make homemade paper
from scratch papers. Old newspapers may be used to fashion papier
mache. |
