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The Power of a Parent's Love 
Teenager's faith lives are strongly affected by their relationship with their parents.  Dr. Robert Laurent, author of Keeping Your Teen in Touch with God lists seven factors parents can work on to strengthen family bonds:

1. Renew your own passion for Christ.
2. Verbally express your love for your teen.
3. Learn to keep their confidences and take them seriously.
4. Be vulnerable and admit when you are wrong.
5. Never embarrass your teenager.
6. Forgive and forget.
7. Give your teenager your time and attention.

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1. I feel loved and supported in my family.
2. My parents are approachable when I want to talk about something serious.
3. I regularly have in-depth conversation with my parents.
4. Besides my parents, I have three or four other adults to approach for help.
5. I often have serious conversation with an adult who is not my parent.
6. My parents talk with me about school, sometimes help me with my homework, and attend school events.
7. The atmosphere at my school is caring and encouraging.
8. My parents set rules for me and enforce the consequences when I break them.
9. My parents clearly express their standard for my behavior.
10. When I go out, my parents check on where I am going, whom I will be with, and how long I will be gone.
11. I can spend only a limited number of nights out of the house for recreation.
12. My friends are a good influence.  They do well at school and avoid risky behaviors such as alcohol and drug use.
13. I'm in the band, orchestra, choir, or take musical lessons of some kind.  I practice one or more hours a week.
14. I'm in sports or other school organizational activity at least one hour each week.
15. I attend a religious program or service at least once a week.
16. I do the best I can at school.
17. I hope to continue my education beyond high school.
18. My grades are above average.
19. I do six or more hours of homework each week.
20. I am interested in helping others and trying to improve their lives.
21. I'm concerned about global issues such as world hunger.
22. I care about other people's values.
23. Because of my values, I won't have sex during my teen years.
24. I can stand up for my beliefs.
25. I'm good at making decisions.
26. I make friends easily.
27. I'm good at planning ahead.
28. I feel good about myself.
29. I expect to have a happy future.

The researchers tell us that kids with at least 26 of these "assets" are 15 times less likely to engage in risky behaviors; that kids need at least 25 of these to "do well;" and that the average kid only has 16 of these assets.