Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam

Middle schooler won't listen, won't cooperate, or won't get out of bed without a fight? Here's the surprise. That same kid is often engaged, funny, and working hard in a great teacher's classroom. In this episode of Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam, veteran middle school teacher Sean Kane shares what great teachers know about getting middle schoolers to cooperate, and how you can use it at home. Most...

When a teen gets defiant or starts with the back talk, most of us push harder. More rules, louder voice, fewer explanations. And the harder we push, the further they pull away or shut down completely. José Rolón, known as NYC Gay Dad, raised his son and twin daughters as a single dad for ten years. He's the first LGBTQ dad on the cover of Parents Latina and co-host of the Love Take Two podcast, an...

Why Your Teen Won't Talk to You. And How to Change That Starting Today. “I’m only trying to help, but every question makes my teen go quieter.” When your teen won't talk, what looks like defiance may be a sign that they do not feel heard. The harder we push, fix, or force connection, the further they often pull away or shut down. Rachel Martin, Chief Operating Officer of the Born This Way Foundati...

Parents of teenagers face an impossible tension: how to stay close while giving their teens the freedom they desperately need. In this episode, child and adolescent psychotherapist Zara Kadir reveals that the biggest misconception about teens isn't that they don't like their parents—it's that they resent having an agenda forced onto every interaction.

Understanding the Teen Brain: How to Build Skills Without Punishment | Dr. Tina Payne Bryson Have you ever blamed your teen's eye rolls, impulsive decisions, or emotional reactions on their "underdeveloped brain"? While the teen brain continues developing into the mid-20s, that doesn't mean teens aren't capable of making good decisions. In fact, adolescence is one of the most important times for t...

Parents often wait for a crisis before genuinely checking in with their teenagers, missing critical opportunities for connection and understanding. Dr. R.J. Ledet, a triple board-certified psychiatrist and Navy veteran, emphasizes that effective parenting requires pausing reactive responses and allowing wisdom to catch up with impulse. The core challenge isn't teen behavior—it's parental perspecti...

Stop Overparenting: What Your Teen Actually Needs to Thrive | John Fogle Are you constantly worrying about your teen's grades, screen time, choices, or attitude? It's easy to get caught up in the small stuff when you're trying to set your teen up for success. But some of the things parents work hardest to control may actually get in the way of the skills teens need most. In this episode, Dr. Cam s...

Rethinking Teen Phone Use: Why Regulation Matters More Than Restriction | Dr. Roseann Capana Hodge Are you constantly battling your teen over their phone? With concerns about screen time, social media, and teen mental health everywhere, it can feel like taking the phone away is the only way to protect them. But what if the phone isn't actually the root of the problem? In this episode, Dr. Cam sits...

Do you ever feel like your teen knows exactly how to push your buttons? It's easy to focus on changing your teen's behavior, but what if the biggest shift starts with you? Many parents unknowingly carry emotional wounds from their own childhood that shape how they respond to conflict, criticism, and connection with their teens. In this episode, Dr. Cam sits down with licensed therapist, attachment...

Rebuild Trust with Your Teen: How to Stop Overparenting and Strengthen Your Relationship | JoAnn Crohn Do conversations with your teen often turn into arguments, silence, or frustration? Many parents try to help by giving advice, solving problems, or closely managing their teen's life—but those well-intentioned efforts can actually push teens away. In this episode, Dr. Cam sits down with certified...

Parenting Anxious Teens: How to Build Confidence Instead of Fear | Dana Colthart Does your teen avoid challenges, shut down under pressure, or constantly seek reassurance? It can be hard to know whether they're simply nervous or struggling with anxiety—and many of the ways parents naturally try to help can actually make anxiety worse. In this episode, Dr. Cam sits down with licensed clinical socia...

Helping Your Teen Navigate Sex, Relationships, and Growing Up Without Shame Talking to your teen about sex is one of the conversations many parents dread—but avoiding it can leave teens turning to friends, social media, or pornography for answers. So how do you have honest conversations without making everyone want to disappear? In this episode, Dr. Cam sits down with Amy Lang, M.A., sexuality edu...

Does it feel like you're constantly competing with your teen's phone for their attention? Many parents worry that endless scrolling is replacing curiosity, conversation, and meaningful family connection. But what if getting your teen off their phone isn't about taking technology away—it's about giving them something more engaging to move toward? In this episode, Dr. Cam sits down with award-winnin...

Co-parenting is challenging enough when both parents are working together. But when you're dealing with a narcissistic co-parent—or someone who constantly turns parenting into a competition—it can leave you feeling exhausted, second-guessing yourself, and worried about your child's well-being. In this episode, Dr. Cam sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Kibby McMahon, CEO of Kula Mind and exp...

Grief in teens rarely looks the way parents expect. Instead of tears and open conversations, it often shows up as irritability, withdrawal, risk-taking, or emotional distance. That can leave parents wondering whether their teen is grieving at all—or how to help if they are. In this episode, Dr. Cam sits down with grief expert and Master Certified Life Coach Krista St. Germain to unpack what grief...

Are today’s teens experiencing a true mental health crisis—or are parents being encouraged to label normal adolescent struggles as disorders? In this thought-provoking episode of the Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam Podcast, adolescent psychologist sits down with renowned child and adolescent psychiatrist, author of Searching for Normal , to unpack the rising diagnoses of ADHD, anxiety, depression, an...

If your teenager suddenly seems distant, emotional, or wants nothing to do with you, you’re not failing as a parent — and you’re definitely not alone. In this eye-opening episode of the Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam Podcast , Dr. Cam Caswell sits down with Aliyah Singh, Hannah Ticajo, and Caitlin Severin from CultivaTeen Roots to unpack the real reason teens push parents away — and why it’s actuall...

What does it actually take to raise a confident, resilient, successful teen? In this episode of Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam, I sit down with Sheinelle Jones, co-host of Today with Jenna and Sheinelle and author of Through Mom's Eyes: Simple Wisdom From Mothers Who Raised Extraordinary Humans , to unpack what she learned from interviewing the moms behind some of the most extraordinary humans, incl...

If your teen is hiding things or not telling you the full truth, it can feel like you’re losing them. And your instinct? Tighten the rules. Ask more questions. Stay on top of everything. But here’s the part most parents aren’t told: Teen secrecy isn’t usually about rebellion or disrespect. It’s about development. In this episode, I’m breaking down why teens keep secrets, what’s actually going on i...

What would you do if your teen told you a classmate was making threats? Most parents freeze — unsure whether to panic, dismiss it, or act. In this episode, Dr. Cam sits down with Nicole Hockley, co-founder of Sandy Hook Promise and mother who lost her six-year-old son Dylan in the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy, to talk about one of the most important skills a parent can develop: knowing when something i...

If consequences used to work… and now they just lead to more attitude, shutdowns, or the same fights on repeat—this episode will explain why. If you’re parenting a teen and struggling with defiance, power struggles, or constant pushback… you’re not alone. Because it’s not that your teen suddenly stopped caring. It’s that their brain has changed—and the tools that worked before don’t work the same...

Are you constantly worried your teen is making bad choices—and feel like consequences are the only way to “teach them a lesson”? You’re not alone. And you’re not wrong to care. But what if the very thing you’re doing to prevent bad decisions is actually making them worse? In this episode, we’re digging into one of the biggest parenting traps: punishing behavior instead of teaching the skills behin...

Teaching your teen to drive can feel terrifying. If your teen is nervous behind the wheel—or keeps delaying getting their license—you’re not alone. Many teens today feel anxious about driving, and the way parents approach practice can either build confidence… or make that anxiety worse. In this episode of Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam, Dr. Cam talks with Nigel Tunnacliffe, CEO and co-founder of Coa...

Is your teen acting entitled, ungrateful, or selfish — no matter how much you do for them? You’re not alone. And it may not mean what you think. In this episode, Dr. Cam explains why teen entitlement is often a normal part of adolescent development — rooted in brain changes, identity formation, and intense self-focus — not bad character. You’ll learn: • Why lectures and guilt trips about gratitude...

Teen boys shutting down can feel like rejection, but it’s usually self-protection. If your teen son won’t talk, gives one-word answers, or avoids conversations completely, this episode will help you understand what’s going on—and what actually works. Dr. Cam Caswell (adolescent psychologist + certified parenting coach) and licensed professional counselor Jarrod Hoffman break down teen communicatio...