The Road To Personal
Power
by
Joe Miller
1
What Is Personal Power?
• Brainstorm?
• Can anyone tell me what power
is?
• Who Has the Power?
• Do you Have any power?
2
Defining Personal Power
• Personal Power is not how
strong we are, but
• the power we have to make wise
decisions and good choices.
• We have personal power
regardless of your size.
3
Defining Personal Power
• Personal power means we
decide to do or not to do certain
things.
• Can anyone tell how you use
your personal power to do or not
to do certain things?
4
Who Decides?
• Personal power can be used to
decide what to wear, who to be
friends with, who to play with.
• Personal power can be used in a
bad way or a good way.
• Some people use personal
power to hurt others or make
others feel bad.
5
How Do You Use
your Personal Power?
• Acting like a bully, fighting,
yelling are ways some people
use personal power in a bad
way.
• Taking drugs, drinking alcohol,
smoking, stealing things are
also ways to use personal power
in a bad way.
6
How Do You Use
your Personal Power?
• Saying nice things about people,
being kind to people and helping
people is using your personal
power in a good way.
7
What Are Symbols of
Power?
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•
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•
•
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Talking
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8
How Do You Use These Power
Symbols for Good and Bad
• Talking – Telling a lie about someone
is bad. Saying a kind thing to
someone is good.
• Actions – Helping someone with their
homework is good. Cutting in front
of someone is bad.
• Physical – Helping someone up after
they fall is good. Pushing someone
down is bad.
9
Difference Between
Positive and Negative
Personal Power
• Positive Personal Power: You
can compliment or praise
someone to make them feel
better.
• Negative Personal Power: You
can call someone a bad name
and make them feel ugly.
10
Look for the Use of Personal
Power With Your Friends
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•
•
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Saying no!!
Influencing others.
Keeping Secrets.
Knowledge.
Control.
Relationships.
11
Using Personal Power
With Your Parent(s)
• Positive Use of Your Personal
Power Will Help Your Whole
Family Function Better.
• Negative Use of Your Personal
Power Can Make Your Family
Unhappy and Sad.
12
Using Your Personal
Power
• Respond to the following:
a. As it relates to my family:
One area I use my personal power in a
positive way is ______________.
One area I use my personal power in a
negative way is ______________.
b. One constant struggle I have in my
family to use my personal power is
____________ .
13
Let’s Play a game
• Sit together in pairs.
• Each pair get a towel.
• One side is the mother or father
and the other side is you.
• Take turns being the parent.
• Each get a hold of one end of
the towel
14
Who’s Towel Is It?
• Parents, this is your towel.
• You own this towel!
• Your child wants to take it away
from you, but you own it.
• When your child tries to pull the
towel away from you, you hang
onto the towel, and don’t let go.
15
Who’s Towel Is It?
• You own it, it’s yours.
• You tell your child. “You can’t
have it. The Towel is mine;” and
pull the towel toward you.
16
Who’s Towel Is It?
• Child, don’t let go.
• Don’t give in and don’t give up.
• You tell your parents, “You can’t
have it. I want it. Give it to me;”
and pull the towel back toward
you.
17
What Does the Towel
Represent?
• The Towel is only symbolic of an
issue over which the child and
parents are in conflict.
• For example: Child wants to stay
out later than curfew. Parent
says “no.”
• The towel represents the issue.
18
Power Struggle Over the
Issue of Curfew
• Child – I want to stay out later.
(Pull towel)
• Parent – No, you can’t stay out
later. I said so. (Pull towel)
• Child – I want to stay out later.
Give it to me now! (Pull Back)
• Parent – No, you can’t have it.
(Pull back.) I said so!!!
19
Control Is the Issue
Were you stronger when you
“owned” it or when you
“wanted” it?
Would you feel any differently
doing the activity with one
parent or the other?
Did you give in and give the towel
up?
20
Who Is the Winner?
• There is no winner over power
struggles in the family.
• Only you and the family lose.
• Use your personal powers to talk
things over with your parents and
decide on the best course of action
for you and the family. (This is called
negotiation and compromise)
21
Who Is the Winner?
• This will make you and your
family much happier.
• Everyone wins!!!
22
The End
Thanks for coming!!!!
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