Examination of Conscience for Parents of Teenagers

Examination of Conscience for Parents of Teenagers

Friends

Do I teach my teenage child to be caring towards all people?

Do I pray that their relationship with the Lord Jesus will be the most important part of their life?

Have I been responsible to know always what kind of people my teen spend time with?

Have I set boundaries to guard my teen from sinful influences in personal friendships?

Do I take a loving interest in the families of my teen’s friends?

Do I go overboard to support a “social life” for my teen which distracts them from more important life lessons?

Sports/activities

What are the reasons I encourage or discourage sports/activities?

What are the reasons I do not allow certain sports/activities?

Do I consider sports/activities to be more important on Sundays than encountering Jesus Christ in the Mass?

What amount of my own time do I allow to be dominated by my teen's sports/activities?

What is the example I set by my own personal recreations?

Staying up/out

Am I personally guilty of staying up too late for the wrong reasons?

What is our family routine in the morning? Does it include prayer?

Do I set the example by beginning and ending my day with prayer?

Have I been responsible by setting reasonable expectations by a curfew? Have I made good communication and decision making a preventative measure for this problem?

If our family does not eat together regularly, are there good reasons and other times that we meet or pray together?

Cell Phones/Technology

What kinds of technology do I myself enjoy, which is the equivalent of teen talking and texting?

Do I allow technology to be a source of pride, or feel “superiority” against technology others use or do not use?

Do I concern myself to know for what and how much my teen uses cell phones or technology?

Have I made myself aware of the dangers, even criminal pitfalls, open with the possibility of teen cell phone use?

Do I prudently invoke my right as a parent to review my teen's posts and e-communications?
Do I talk with my teen about life in general, as opposed to snippets of media?