When Do I Use the Worksheets?

Parents who attended Parenting Teens: Building Strong Futures are handed a number of worksheets and teaching notes. Some parents wonder what they are for and when they should use them.This posting should clarify questions you may have with regard to their use.

Question 1: How do we know what to do first? Open the parent workbook and at the start of each chapter is a clear set of instructions about what to read, when to watch a video (if one pertains to this section), etc.

Question 2: What do I do with the teaching notes handouts (numbered like 3-1 for instance)? These notes were meant to be background information for parents. You are the teacher and its best to know a bit more than the student you are teaching. In this case the student is your son or daughter. I thought these notes would be helpful information.

Question 3: What do we do with the various worksheets in the wire bound booklet entitled parent materials? 

I will include a 'schedule' for each of the following worksheets that will clarify when to use them. 

Worksheet Title - page number - when/what to do with worksheet 

Parenting Teens  - 1 - This is for your own benefit as a parent. Not to be filled out by teen. You can fill this out before getting started, halfway through, at the end of the program, or never. This is entirely for your own self - assessment.

Personality Type - 2 - This may be an interesting worksheet to complete with your  teen. I have already noted the characteristics of this type of personality. While none of us fit a type perfectly, it may be an interesting exercise for both parents and teens to go through. Make extra copies before filling the sections in. I would recommend doing this at the start of the first session. Also, have your teen draw an image of himself/herself and keep that with his/her daughters/sons workbook. 

Gender Matters - 3 - This worksheet fits nicely at the end of Chapter Three - Speaking on Gender. Please fill out this worksheet and discuss when covering this chapter. Make extra copies if you prefer to have the different people fill them out separately.  

What's Your Worldview? - 4 - This is an interesting worksheet to be filled out at the conclusion of the program  and when discussion Chapter Ten.


What's your Christian Sense - 5  -   This goes with the previous worksheet. Fill it out at the  conclusion of the program (when discussing Chapter Ten).   

Practical Strategies to Avoid Giving Mixed Messages  - 6 & 7 - Read/think about Giving Mixed Messages when covering Chapter One. Discuss this with your teens and have them also fill out the worksheet exercise after defining Mixed Messaging using Handout 6. 

I Gotta Have It - 8 - Discuss this worksheet when discussing Materialism found in Chapter Two.
Within this chapter is a discussion about dressing for success, porn, internet, and a few other topics. Be sure to discuss modesty ("it's not that it reveals too much of a person it actually reveals too little about a person" JP ll). Computer usage: limit time spent, main room, passwords, parent supervision.Social media: not before the age of 15... etc. 

Group Think - 9 & 10- Group think - another word for group think is mentality. This is arrived at in part due to peer pressure to think like everyone else. It is also accommodated by moral relativism. Use these two worksheets when discussing peer pressure in Chapter Two. Be sure and explain how peer pressure is not just something teens need to be aware of; we are all susceptible to peer pressure.   If you recall, group think is doing something perceived to be the norm without questioning the morality of an action, etc. 

Assessing Rape Attitudes - 11 - Discuss this when discussing Chapter Four and specifically the section on hooking up and dating. Have teen fill out the survey; discuss results. 

Building My Pyramid - 12 - This same worksheet is in the parent and teen workbooks. Work on this when it presents itself in the workbooks. 

Cats in the Cradle - 13 - This worksheet is really just the words to a popular song of the 1970's era. It goes well with the previous worksheet. Have teen read the words and write a ballad for himself and you. It will be a fun exercise at re-writing poetry to fit your son/daughter personally. 

Assessing your Marriage Attitude - 14 - Have your student (and yourself using a separate copy) fill our this worksheet when covering Chapter Seven - Marriage. BE sure to discuss the results of your teens' attitudes. 

Assessing your Tolerance for Divorce - 15 - This worksheet is also to be used during the discussions about Marriage.

Parents: Primary Educators of their Teens- 16 & 17 & 18  - Read worksheet Number 17 and then fill out worksheets 16 & 18. Discuss with teens. They do not have to fill out the parent worksheets 16 & 18, but they should complete worksheet 19. Discuss this at the conclusion of the program - Chapter Ten.

The Bible Teaches Teens- 19 - Have teens fill out this worksheet before discussing 16 and 18 with them.  Discuss this at the conclusion of the program - Chapter Ten.

The ISM's - 20 - 21 - A reference guide for parents.  To be filled out by parent/teen regularly throughout program. Do not wait until the end of the program to do this. Answer about 5 each chapter. 

Technologies that come back to bite - 22- To be discussed when talking about cell phones, computers, social media, etc. Use when discussing Chapter Two. Recall that Gaudium Et Spes, written by Pope Paul Vl, forewarned of the "technologies that recoil on man." It may be helpful to read sections of this encyclical online; have teen review it also. 

Our Stairway to Heaven - 23 - Discuss this at the conclusion of the program - Chapter Ten.

Abortion Information - 24 - Background information when discussing  Chapter Six.