Being Boys - Being Girls

[Music] [Applause] [Music] you are an important part of the new generation of young people growing and learning in preparation for the time you will be an adult while all of you are similar in some ways isn't it amazing how much each one is different from everybody else some people have straight hair others have curly hair you may have a stockier build than some people or you may be tall and slim just as all human beings differ in appearance and behavior so they differ in the way they grow a baby's arms and legs are very short compared to the rest of the body and remain relatively short during early childhood at nine or ten arms and legs start to lengthen more rapidly and become more in proportion to the rest of the body but no two people ever grow at exactly the same speed and the different ways people grow produce differences in build the way you are growing is only part of what makes you different from everyone else personalities differ from person to person too you can't change the way you grow but you can develop your personality by learning about healthy attitudes and how to behave with others keep in mind as you grow that your personality is part of you and developing it is part of growing perhaps the most important part some things you had to be reminded about not long ago you now want to do as you begin to take personal pride in your appearance growing up requires you to adjust to many changes no longer do your parents have to care for your every need you have learned to take care of yourself in many ways and now you are expected to take over these responsibilities you have been taught to close your body before going out in public but now clothing has become much more than just covering for your body you have found that some types of clothing are more suitable to you than others and you are beginning to use color and style in dress to help you to look more attractive these things are marks of your social development part of the preparation you are making toward the day when you will be expected to take your place in the world as an adult these are years of change for you and you're changing in every part of yourself you're growing up in mind and body learning understanding and respect for yourself and others finding self-esteem in the give-and-take of human relations when you were very small you were so busy discovering new things you didn't remain interested in any one of them for very long now you know that there are specific things you like to do best and you take the time to learn to do them well and you know that there are particular people you like more than all the others our feelings change in many ways as we grow up when we were babies and wanted something we wanted it right away now we have learned to wait and plan for the things we want and we learn to love our parents in a more grown-up way helping around the house is one way we have of showing that we love them and while a girl is helping her mother around the house she's learning and practicing the art of home making you could comb your own hair when you were six years old but now you take greater care because you take more interest in your appearance and you know that there are different kinds of clothing for different kinds of places - this girl wouldn't wear a swimsuit to school and neither would you growing up isn't easy the way we think we feel about things changes any number of times so we talk and talk and sometimes it helps us to sort things out other times the only thing we learn is that our friends are confused - a parent a teacher the school nurse or a guidance counselor these are some of the people who can help us avoid confusion and they can be some of the best friends we'll ever have a boy can learn the meaning of responsibility and independence by taking on a part-time job a boy with a paper route takes a few hours a week from his recreation time but it's well worth his effort he earns enough money to buy some of the things he wants without having to ask his parents for it and this helps him to feel independent he knows his customers rely on him and this teaches him to be reliable there's still lots of time for a game of ball with the other fellows and because he feels a special satisfaction from having done his job well he enjoys the game all the more there is a good feeling - about getting your homework done before you settle down in front of the television set then you can relax and enjoy watching your favorite program and very often a big brother can be helpful when a younger member of the family needs a little guidance with a problem there are many ways a boy can do his part as a member of the household part of belonging to your family is being able to accept responsibility for your home and the things that your family shares learning about responsibilities now and getting along with other members of your family can make a big difference in your relationships with others not only now but in your future just about everybody wants to have friends friends to talk to and friends to play with or sometimes just to be with you maybe the kind of person who knows a great many people because you find it easy to be friendly or you may be the kind of person who prefers to have a very few friends who are close to you real friendship usually requires a certain amount of give-and-take you help your friend with a science lesson and he'll be there when you need help with your English lesson if you're a person who can be trusted and is considerate of others you won't have any trouble making or keeping friends your friends usually have the same interest you have most of the time you will probably want to do what they do but there will also be times when you feel you should say no to something a friend wants you to do if this happens often perhaps it is time for you to find other friends whose ideas of right and wrong or more like your own if you have trouble getting along with others find out why a talk with your parents or a teacher you particularly like can help you to find the reasons and once you know why you couldn't start doing something about it [Music] [Applause] [Music]