What Do I Say?

Why:

Adolescents face all kinds of new social situations. It’s not easy to know what to say. Sharing both our confusions and our advice can help.

Warm-Up:

Can you think of a time when you had no idea what to say? Or when you said something but wished you could have a re-do later?

Exploration:

It’s normal to not know what to say. Or to regret what you did say, or wish you could have said something else. Normalize that social mistakes are inevitable when we’re in new social situations. As students share the stories from the Warm-Up Question, ask if they would like any advice or brainstorming from the group on what to say. Invite others to add more situations or scenarios. Simply exploring ideas for how to respond helps us gain social skills and feel less alone when we’re confused.