Dear Parents and Guardians of our Parish's Middle and High School Teens,
Hello! This is the 18th 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.
Check out the permanent feature of our Online Parent Ministry - 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."
This week, I am highlighting the "7th Grade Family Experience." Do you have a 7th grader in the house? This Family Experience for your 7th grader is giving your teen a blessing on their 13th birthday! Most families just say, "We have a teenager in the house! Happy 13th birthday!" Why not use this special occasion to unleash a special blessing on your new teenager?
Please reach out if you have any suggestions or if you found a great resource for parents and families that you think I should include in future OPM emails!
Since Thursday is Holy Thursday, I will be sending our weekly email tomorrow!
Peace,
This week's Online Parent Ministry email is all about teens and their friends. Our friendships shape our lives - who is shaping your teen's life? Does your teen struggle in making friends? Check out this week's OPM Resource!
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Your teenager’s friends are the one thing that will have the most significant impact when it comes to the path they will walk, the choices they will make, the direction their lives will go, and ultimately the quality of their lives. Of course, you already know this to be true, but it’s so important that it bears repeating - the people whom your teenager chooses to be friends with, surround themselves with, and do life with will have a tremendous impact on the decisions they make, where they go in life, and how fulfilling their life will be.
We know this is true, but if we’re honest, as their teens get older, parents often pay less and less attention to who their teens are friends with. You may feel like you have less influence. And as your teens get busier and involved in more things, you have less access to the people they are becoming friends with. In fact, you may never even meet some of their friends!
In this week's OPM Email, I am providing you with some excellent ideas, tools, resources, and, as always, a little extra encouragement that will help you start or take another step forward in an ongoing conversation about what is happening with your teenager and their friends. It might not be an easy conversation, but it is crucial to have it! This isn’t the time to check out! As always, I am here cheering you on and praying for you and your families!
Peace,
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!
Here is another way to deepen your faith this Lent! One of my Team Members shared with me a great resource - it's great! I want to share it with you! It's called "OurDailyVerse.com" Every day you get a beautiful graphic of a verse from scripture that you can share with others on your social media. There is a beautifully written devotional and prayer as well! Sign up today and check it out! Please share it with your teen!
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!
