Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Life Skills Empower Teens to Make Smart Decisions

The road of self-discovery is never easy for a teen. There are a multitude of things to worry about like friends, disagreement with parents, high school, homework, possibly attending college, and future careers. It may be hard for teens to set priorities or decide which path they should take to reach their aspirations, but with a good foundation, these choices don't have to be hard.

Though parents have determined the answers to these questions through self-discovery and life experience, teenagers lack the knowledge and experience to decide what is best for them without hesitation. With hormones running high and peer pressure at its most influential peak, sometimes the sage advice of a knowing parent goes unheard and a teenager may flounder in their indecision over important teen issues.

As parents, how can one help guide a teen's decisions while giving them the moral apparatus they need to eventually make decisions on their own? The solution is to supply them with a code of personal excellence that they can live their lives by and refer back to whenever they encounter a challenge.

SuperCamp, a leading academic summer camp that teaches learning and life skills to children and teens alike, offers a strong and compelling foundation for anyone who may need a character compass to guide them through difficult situations and choices. This foundation is called The 8 Keys of Excellence, and it provides a framework for success in life.

The 8 Keys consist of the following principles: Integrity, Failure Leads To Success, Speak With Good Purpose, This Is It!, Commitment, Ownership, Flexibility, and Balance. Each one supports an overarching theme to be responsible for your own life choices and make the most of every moment. SuperCamp's motto is "Success in all aspects of life depends on you."

Social interaction and academia are the two most prominent issues in a teen's life, both of which can shape their futures and change the direction of their lives. A teenager may look to their peers for guidance, but without a frame of reference they can be easily swayed by more dominant—and sometimes unwise—opinions. The 8 Keys can be applied to every situation in a child, teen, or adult's life and provide direction whenever the proper course of action is unsure.

Using this framework, teens who find themselves in scenarios that may perpetuate gossip or bullying will realize that everything they do speaks about who they are. The Integrity Key asserts that what we value in life is evident in our actions, while the Speak With Good Purpose Key holds honest and direct communication as a personal mantra in relationships with others. Hesitation on moral dilemmas will no longer be a problem when a teenager takes ownership of their actions and holds themselves to a higher standard of excellence.

Ultimately, teenagers in charge of their own destinies will be teenagers that will excel in future situations, careers, and life goals. Any teen can reach their dreams and maximize their interactions with others using a good character compass that will help them lead the way. The 8 Keys will allow teenagers to become leaders amongst their peers when it comes to moral character and academic prowess. Challenges like teen motivation in academics will be easily bypassed, which will leave more room to focus on personal development and aspirations. Every teen needs a character compass to help them navigate around personal hindrances toward academic success!

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