The Family Friendzy Retreat aims to deliver a concentrated abstinence message to adolescent youth with their parents together in a relaxed, fun-filled, retreat setting.
Communication Skills Building-
Communication skills are built using a variety of activities. The goal is to open up communication lines between parents and their youth at a time in the youth's lives when talking to parents seems like an excruciating experience. Some of the activities used and skills that are built include:
Learning why what you say may not be what they hear.
Anger management.
Two-way versus one-way communication.
Stopping arguments before they start.
Keeping your cool.
Becoming a better listener.
Using eye contact and voice control.
How not to get into a power struggle with your child.
Re-kindling the Parent/Youth Connection-
The ultimate goal of each retreat is to re-establish an unbreakable bond between parent and youth. Such a connection normally exists when the youth is much younger, but it often becomes frayed, or even severed as the child grows into the turbulent years of adolescence. Some of the instruction and activities used to help in this endeavor include:
Team building activities and games.
Blind-fold trust walks.
Learn what love language your youth or parent speaks.
How to better communicate love to your parent or youth.
Designated family fun time.
Families eat all meals together.
Parents participate with their youth in nearly all instruction and activities--allowing reinforcement opportunities between parent and youth once they return home.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Education-
Part of the education at each retreat focuses on many of the myths surrounding STDs and their risks. The goal of this instruction is to counter the skewed facts youth and parents are often exposed to. All instruction is addressed from the viewpoint that abstinence from sex is the only way to go. Some of the things that are covered:
Learn the risks.
Why abstinence is the only 100% effective prevention against STDs.
What STDs can kill you and how prevalent are they?
The truth about HIV/AIDS.
Which STDs are more deadly than HIV/AIDS?
Time is allowed for confidential questions and answers.
Prevention Education and Healthy Alternatives-
Youth and parents are given the education and tools they need to prevent youth involvement in risky behaviors. The instruction is practical and allows time to rehearse scenarios in which youth might find themselves someday. Some of the things we do and cover:
Parents and youth develop "family plans" to keep kids safe.
Participants practice words/phrases to use when friends apply pressure.
Participants practice body language to use when friends apply pressure.
Drawing boundaries in dating.
Learn successful dating skills.
How to say no and still keep a boy/girl friend.
How to say no and remain "cool."
Instruction is done through fun skits and role-playing.
Learn to think quickly when faced with pressure.
How to counter pressure with the "broken-record" refusal skill.
The art of walking away.
Exploring alternatives to risky fun.
Coming up with the best excuses.
Avoiding sexual pressures/dangers on the internet.
How to cope with music and media pressures.
Learning how to turn the tables on the person who's applying pressure.
Family Fun-
Every activity and lesson has an ulterior motive: to show that youth and parents CAN have fun together. This is done through use of many different types of instruction, games, entertainment, and, in most cases, by the type of location chosen for each retreat. Depending on the venue, some of the family time activities may include: Games, Activities, The "blob", swimming, canoeing, zipline, movie-making, guest speakers, bonfires, challenge courses, climbing tower, nature walks, movies, slide shows, skits, PRIDE skits/participation.
Mentoring-
Opportunities are available for older youth (college or high-school aged) to mentor at retreats. Guidelines and applications for becoming a mentor are available, by contacting us.
