Allison was having a bad year. After years of not getting along, her parents had finally decided to get a divorce. While there was a lot of tension in the house, her parents were trying hard to be polite to each other and considerate of Allison's and her younger brother's feelings. Always a good student, Allison continued to find comfort in studying hard and getting good grades in school. Her best friend, Susie, had really been there for her, too. Every weekend Susie had planned something fun for them to do by themselves or with other friends. Over the past several months, Allison and Susie had gone ice- skating on a regular basis, seen many movies, and gone bowling. Allison had also continued to play soccer on her school's team. Throughout the year, Allison had been able to talk to her parents about the pending divorce. Allison's parents had been willing to listen to her concerns and discuss her anger about this big change in her life. Allison felt really sad, but she also felt that she was going to be all right.
Scenario 2
Laura felt as if her life was falling apart. Her parents had just told her that they were getting a divorce. Although her parents hadn't gotten along for years, Laura had always hoped that they would find a way to stay together so they could continue to be a family. Instead, her parents didn't seem to have any time to talk to her about her feelings. Laura had always thought that she had a few good friends, but she wasn't feeling like she could turn to them now. Her friend Katy had a boyfriend, and she didn't get a chance to see her soccer teammates much outside of games and practices. Laura had always been a good student, and she continued to complete her assignments on time. But she had noticed that it was becoming increasingly difficult to concentrate on her schoolwork. Because she was feeling lonely and isolated, Laura was considering going to a party with Katy. She had heard that some kids brought drugs to these parties. For that reason, she had always stayed away. Now, however, she thought that it might be a way to get out of the house and forget about her problems for a little while. It might be fun. Laura was thinking that unless something else happened so that her social life improved, she might just go.
Questions
1. Which girl is more vulnerable to becoming
involved with drugs? Why?
2. What role do friends play in both girls'
lives? Do you think friends are an important influence? Give reasons to support
your ideas.
3. What role does family play in the girls'
lives? Do you think the family is an important influence? Give reasons to
support your ideas.
4. Do you think that Allison is going to
turn to drugs? Why or why not? What factors in her life will help her decide
not to use drugs? How do you think those factors will affect the way she makes
decisions about other issues in her life?
5. Do you think that Laura is going to turn
to drugs? Why or why not? What factors in her life will affect the way she
makes a decision about drugs and other issues in her life?
6. What do you think are some
characteristics of people who turn to drugs? What are some characteristics of
people who cope in other ways? Give examples to support your ideas.
