Cohabitation Discuss/ Brainstorm: Who might you live with over the next few years?

Who have you lived with or stayed with already? Do you have siblings? Family Siblings Friends Roommates that you know Roommates who are strangers Lots of people (dorm) A few people (residence, house, apartment, etc.) Girlfriend/ Boyfriend On your own

There are problems that will arise from living with others. You HAVE to get along in ways you will not expect. We are going to create a list of survival guidelines for living with others. In groups of 3, you will read the scenario given to you. Then describe the way you might WANT to react in that situation, then describe the way you think you/ people SHOULD react in order to keep living harmoniously together. We will then take the ideas behind the good or appropriate reaction and Four kinds of reactions, you will want to aim for an assertive action or reaction. 1. Passive: not participating actively, allowing others to make decisions 2. Aggressive: showing a readiness or tendency to attack or do harm to others, possibly without provocation 3. Passive-Aggressive: manipulating others indirectly, resisting their demands/ requests in an indirect way, rather than dealing with the person or situation directly 4. Assertive: acting confidently, stating your position or claim respectfully but firmly Cohabitation Scenarios (In small groups) For each scenario, discuss and record two reactions: one can be passive, passiveaggressive, or aggressive, the other MUST be an assertive reaction that would address and possibly solve the problem. Once the cohabitations scenarios have been worked through, students will create a roommate contract for themselves. This will be a list of things they promise to either man up and do it or avoid at all costs. They will consider how the choices they make can affect others, and what will be within their power to fix/ avoid fighting about.

Scenario 1: Melvin Read the scenario below. For each scenario, record two reactions: one can be passive, passiveaggressive, or aggressive, the other MUST be an assertive reaction that would address and possibly solve the problem. You are living in a house with four other roommates. You each have your own rooms, but share the living area (kitchen, living room, dining room, backyard, and 2 bathrooms). You and two other roommates tend to clean up after yourselves, and have created a schedule to follow for washing and vacuuming floors, mowing the yard, and other major household chores. Your fourth roommate, Melvin, is a completely different story; Melvin has never washed a dish, picked up a broom, or cleaned a toilet since he has moved in. The other two roommates are ready to scream at Melvin, as are you. Scenario 2: Brittany and Jennifer Read the scenario below. For each scenario, record two reactions: one can be passive, passiveaggressive, or aggressive, the other MUST be an assertive reaction that would address and possibly solve the problem. You and your friend Jennifer have been living together for a few months. Things were going really well, and you decided it would be nice to have a third roommate to cut costs, since you had a third bedroom. A really nice girl your roommate works with moved in, and you and Brittany have now become good friends. Jennifer however has begun fighting with both you and Brittany. Jennifer and Brittany have been arguing at work, and have brought these work arguments home a number of times. Jennifer confronts you one day when Brittany is out, and accuses you of siding with Brittany in arguments. You think Jennifer is being unreasonable. Scenario 3: Madison Read the scenario below. For each scenario, record two reactions: one can be passive, passiveaggressive, or aggressive, the other MUST be an assertive reaction that would address and possibly solve the problem. You and Madison (your girlfriend or boyfriend) met, fell in love, and have recently started living together. You have noticed a few habits that Madison has that you werent aware of. For example, Madison never puts his/her dirty socks in the laundry hamper, and his/her cute habit of leaving empty water glasses around has started to drive you crazy. And what is up with the gobs of hair stuck to the wall of the shower!?! GROSS!!! You have decided its time to talk to Madison about his/ her habits.

Scenario 4: Jessica Read the scenario below. For each scenario, record two reactions: one can be passive, passiveaggressive, or aggressive, the other MUST be an assertive reaction that would address and possibly solve the problem. Moving in with your sister sounded like a great idea. You have had several crazy roommates in a row, and when Jessica suggested you move in together, you thought, At least weve lived together before, Ill know what to expect!. It has gone really well, you have lived together for three months already. But two weeks ago, you had a huge fight, about something fairly significant. You have calmed down, and are ready to talk it out (after yelling and blowing up at Jessica during the original argument), but Jessica has been giving you the silent treatment ever since. She wont talk to you or look at you, and all the yelling you can do does not seem to make this Queen of the Silent Treatment crack. Scenario 5: Steve and Jenn Read the scenario below. For each scenario, record two reactions: one can be passive, passiveaggressive, or aggressive, the other MUST be an assertive reaction that would address and possibly solve the problem. Congratulations! You recently got married to the love of your life. You have unwrapped the wedding gifts, paid the caterer, and have just moved into a new place to start your life together. Youve noticed that your spouse has been coming home every day with shopping bags, and that new tools, pictures, dishes, and other things have been appearing in your new house. You dont give it much thought, until you get a credit card bill. You realize that your spouse has spent a significant amount of money on all of this stuff, and that your name, as well as theirs, is on the credit card bill. You are angry about the purchases, and feel that you should have been consulted about them before they were made. Scenario 6: The Whole Clan Read the scenario below. For each scenario, record two reactions: one can be passive, passiveaggressive, or aggressive, the other MUST be an assertive reaction that would address and possibly solve the problem. You have been living with your boyfriend/ girlfriend for more than a year, but this is the first time his or her family has come to visit. You have a small apartment, and your boy/girl friends family has invaded and taken over. You step on toothpaste that has been ground into the rug as you are picking up their dirty supper dishes (after cooking them a beautiful but unappreciated meal), and realize you are going to COMPLETELY LOSE IT if your boy/girl friend doesnt step in and say something to these people! You are so frustrated you are ready to start screaming at him/ her if his/her family doesnt start respecting your space.