Relationships:

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

It is fun to be with people who share the same interests as you. They can be good friends and it’s good to discover other people’s interests.

Sometimes girls get interested in boys, girls or both. Some want to be just friends while others want to go dating – watching movies, playing sport or just hanging out together.

THE UGLY

Cheating

Unfortunately, some people start new relationships when they are already in relationships with someone. This is called cheating, and it’s more common than we might want to believe. Cheating is wrong and it can hurt a lot of people. If you are uncommitted enough to the relationship that you cheat, that is a pretty good sign you shouldn’t be in a relationship with that person. If you find out your partner is cheating on you, then that is a good sign that THEY are not committed to YOU. If someone is cheating in your relationship, you should break it off – no matter how much it hurts. It is always better to be alone than to be with someone that hurts you or treats you with disrespect.

Breaking up

Breaking up a relationship can lead to further problems. If you don’t know how to handle a breakup, it can cause you to have problems in your future relationships. If you need any advice on relationships, you can call the Child Helpline on 1325 or contact the team at Medical Services Pacific.

Remember: you don’t have to have a relationship to be cool.

 THE BAD

Being in a relationship also has its disadvantages, such as:

• early doting can lead to early sexual activity, which can happen before you are emotionally or physically prepared
• giving up or compromising your morals to be with a person and to be accepted within the peer group
• putting you in conflict with your parents or guardians, or your partner’s exes
• putting you at risk of an unplanned pregnancy or disease.

 THE GOOD

Having a relationship has its advantages, such as:

• having a companion you can always talk to if things go wrong
• allowing you to develop social skills and how to handle people in general
• developing skills in sexual negotiation
• overcoming embarrassment about talking about contraceptives
• testing the person’s character and if that person is really the one for you
• deciding to make a commitment such as marriage

It’s also ok to be on your own. Being on your own gives you plenty of time and freedom to do things that you enjoy.