Dear Parents and Guardians of our Parish's Middle and High School Teens,
Hello! This is the 11th issue of our Online Parent Ministry! I hope and pray that the OPM is useful for you! I encourage you to try one of the "Family Experiences!"
Each week, the OPM Emails include a theme, links to articles, conversation starters, videos, and much more to help you know more about your teen's world.
One permanent feature of our Online Parent Ministry is the "Family Experiences." Click on the link below and then click on whatever grade your teen is in this school year. You will find a few downloads including a page called "the Development Guide" that details all the physical, spiritual, and social changes your teen will experience at that particular age. It's full of good information! The other pages will help you plan that year's "Family Experience."
In the past couple of weeks, I have heard from a few parents who actually used a couple of the "Family Experiences" and they were well received! One parent said, "It was a little awkward at first because we've never done anything like this before, but in the end our teens (and mom and dad!) loved it. Thank you!"
I hope the Online Parent Ministry blesses you and your family!
Today's Online Parent Ministry email is all about teens and dating!
Your teen needs to learn about love and healthy relationships from YOU!
Learn more here so you can help them avoid the pitfalls in this very important part of our lives!
Dear Parents and Guardians,
It’s that time of year - you can’t escape the fact that “love is in the air.” What was your first clue? Was it all the Cupids? The paper hearts? The Valentine’s cards? Maybe it was the giant boxes of candy that are lining the store shelves for the last month. HEB looks like red and pink have exploded all over the store! I've also seen an increase in dating app advertisements on the radio or sappy jewelry store commercials on T.V. It's everywhere!
Parents might shy away from these difficult and taboo conversations while our teens are stuck learning, investigating, and picking up their cues on these things from peers, culture, social media, and the entertainment industry. But, if we want our teenagers to have Godly perspectives, healthy relational/physical boundaries, and wise choices in this area of life, then we have to be the ones willing to risk the awkward so that we can speak truth to them and lead them in that direction.
This week's Online Parent Ministry email will provide you with some excellent ideas, tools, resources, and some much-needed encouragement on how to engage in these conversations about dating, relationships, and relational/physical boundaries with your teenagers in a healthy (and slightly less awkward) way.
I hope you find this week's OPM email helpful for you and your teens! Be encouraged!
Click on the image below for all sorts of links for videos, books, articles, and podcasts about teen and young adult dating from a Catholic point of view!
Some of these you may share with your teen, others are just for the eyes and ears of parents. I am open to adding to the list - if you have any personal favorites, please forward them to me!
Check out this video! We hosted Jason Evert here at SJN last year at St. John Neumann.
In this short, he answers a question from a teen about dating in high school... Please reach out if you have any needs. I am here to serve you and your family! - JGC
Sunday Alive! is another resource that will help you and your family be more present and prepared to receive the message of the Mass! Read the readings before you come to Church, and take a look at the rest of the "Sunday Alive!" handout. It also contains the Saint of the Week, discussion questions for the family on the message of this Sunday's Gospel, and much more! Enjoy!
Please reach out if you ever have any questions, personal needs, or even suggestions for our Online Parent Ministry! I will send our usual weekly email on Thursday, Have a great week!
