How do you teach a child or teenager how to be discerning?

DesiDani: How do you teach a child or teenager how to be discerning?
What is the best way to do this, without having the child or teenager be afraid of everything, but at the same time be know when a situation could be bad?

I think with so many cases of children and teenagers being taken advantage of or worst, knowing how to be discerning is very important.

Answers and Views:

Answer by sharkyincanada
They learn by example. So model the behaviour you want to teach them.

Answer by mullymom321
We all have this instinct and some of us use it more than others.
When your tummy hurts then something is wrong with the situation/surrounds.
Think about all the times your stomach started hurt..as an adult or child…and something was terribly wrong with the situation.
If you teach children to go buy this GUT feeling they will soon find out it is a true instinct.

Answer by philitree
Talk to them! Talk more. Point out things to them that they may not have seen for themselves. Tell them about your values and what your expectations for them are. Take classes with them.

My teenager and I just took one of those “street smarts” classes offered by the police. It was a lot of fun.

Answer by potblackettle
That’s a really tough question. You want to teach them to be discerning, without being paranoid.

The most important thing is to teach them the basics, never get close to a strangers car, don’t take things from strangers, lock the car doors when they get into the car etc.

The other thing is to explain to them that although most people are good and kind, there are also people who aren’t and you can’t always tell so you have to be careful.

As someone else suggested, you should contact the local police office and see if they have a program for teenagers to teach them about threats. Also, have your child take a self-defense class, these usually teach not only how to protect yourself, but how to recognize threats.

Answer by temerson
The best way to teach such things is by ‘osmosis’. Show the an example of someone who takes the time to examine things and has learned to see clearly. Discernment is a gift or at least a talent born within therefor almost impossible to teach. Instead its best to try to motivate a child in that direction.