How Strong Is Your Connection With Your Teen?
Parenting a teenager can feel confusing, exhausting, and at times—uncertain. But here’s the truth: if you’re even asking “Am I doing a good job?”… you’re already doing more right than you think.
Use this checklist below to reflect on what you’re doing well. Don’t look for perfection—look for patterns. Then rate yourself from 0–5 in each area to see where you’re strong and where you could grow.
Emotional Safety
My teen feels comfortable coming to me with “bad news” without immediate fear of judgment.
When teens feel emotionally safe, they don’t just share the good—they trust you with the hard stuff too. This is one of the strongest indicators of a healthy relationship.
0 – My teen hides mistakes or lies to avoid my reaction.
1 – They rarely open up unless I push hard for answers.
2 – They share occasionally, but seem guarded or nervous.
3 – They’ll come to me with smaller issues, but big things are harder.
4 – They usually trust me, even when they’ve messed up.
5 – I’m their go-to person, especially when things go wrong.
Active Listening
I can listen to my teen’s perspective for 5 minutes without interrupting or offering a “fix.”
Listening without jumping in builds respect and shows your teen their voice matters.
0 – I interrupt, correct, or lecture almost immediately.
1 – I try to listen, but usually jump in quickly.
2 – I can listen briefly, but feel the urge to fix things fast.
3 – I listen more often, but still interrupt sometimes.
4 – I usually let them finish and try to understand first.
5 – I fully listen, reflect back, and only offer input when invited.
This will continue for the items from the “Good Parenting Checklist”
How did you do?
If you scored yourself honestly, you probably noticed something:
You’re already doing some really important things right.
And the areas where you scored lower? Those aren’t failures—they’re opportunities.
Imagine what would change if you could confidently move just one or two of these areas up by a point or two.
👉 That’s exactly what our step-by-step parenting blueprint is designed to help you do.
*Complete the form to receive our Better Parenting Blueprint. So you can feel secure in your attachment with your teenager.