Operation: PARENT | Publications | Handbook

Alcohol
Blended Families
Bullying
Cell Phones
Cheating & Academics
Choking Game
Cliques or Clusters
Cutting & Self Mutilation
Cyberbullying
Dating & Relationships
Dating Violence
Depression
Divorce
Driving and Teens
Drunk Driving
Eating Disorders
Family Violence
Gambling
Gangs
Grief
Huffing
Internet
Legal Issues
Lying
Marijauna
Meth
Obesity
Pornography
Pregnancy in Teens
Prescription & OTC Drugs
Prom
Self Esteem
Sex
Sexting
Sleepovers
Sneaking Out & In
Social Networking Sites
Socially Uninformed Parents
Spirituality and Religion
Spring Break
STDs
Suicide
Tobacco
Unsupervised Parties
Violence

Parent Handbook: The Tough Issues

WE WANT TO BELONG, AND IF WE DON'T... IT HURTS!

Cliques are worse in middle school (6th, 7th, and 8th grades). They can continue into high school and beyond.

Cliques provide social status and a sense of belonging (belonging is one of the strongest motivators for teens).

Cliques use their power to hurt others, and they can limit the way members look, think, dress and behave.

Queen Bees and Wannabes
by Rosalind Wiseman

Hurt: Inside the World of Today's Teenagers
by Chap Clark

"Clusters...address the need to belong. The most significant driving force for clustering today is the need to find a safe place."

Know how to talk with your teen about their friends. Ask specific non-threatening questions such as, "Tell me what you like about Sarah." Make communication a priority. Make time to focus and connect away from distractions. Good communication takes time and is an ongoing process.

When communicating specifically about cliques you can also help your teen discover his/her self. Ask: What do they want in a true friend? How do they perceive themselves? What are their core values and do they follow them? How does Sarah act towards you? How does that make you feel?