Feeding The Mouth That Bites You: Parenting Teens Into Adulthood

Did you talk to your parents the way your teen talks to you? Is that always a good thing? When does the priority of "you can be honest with your parents" become an excuse for teens to berate their parents? We hear from many parents struggling with their teenager's verbal tirades that leave them feeling exhausted and like they're failing as parents. How should parents handle this ki...

Ever have to air out your car after driving your teen home from practice? Adolescence brings major changes to teens lives including how they smell! Today we tackle the tricky issue of parents intervening with adolescents with poor hygiene including not showering, not brushing their teeth and other basics. Teenagers are too old to use a checklist like a child so what can parents do? Dr. Ken discuss...

Today we talk about grounding your teenager. When should you ground them? What exactly does grounding include? Can they still use their phone while grounded? What about work or church activities. We even talk about what the maximum time limit for grounding to remain effective. What about when your ex won't enforce your grounding limits? We answer these and many more questions about using groun...

Each year we focus on some aspect of the holidays with teens. This year we want to focus in on those who are dealing with grief, loss and even depression around this time of year. What's different about how a parent should treat a teenager vs. a child when there's been a death, divorce or some other significant loss in a family's life? Is it better to just leave for the holidays and av...

Why can it be so hard just to help a teenager stay healthy? Today we answer listener questions about exercise, diet as well as medical issues that impact adolescent lives. How can parents deal with teenagers that seemingly ignore allergies and other dietary concerns that can affect their health? What about medications that my teen needs to take but hates to be reminded about? We even take on life-...

How can parents help their adolescents when they are having problems with their social group? What if my teen isn't really in a social group at all? Today we take on the increasingly difficult area of social relationships. In an era of increasing isolation, it is more important than ever for parents to do what they can (if anything) to encourage their teenagers to make, build and sustain socia...

Why do teenagers sometimes go through phases of being constantly angry and surly? Dr. Ken reviews the most common causes of teenager's anger and talks about some best ways to respond. We also take on the question of just how bad is it when your teenager seems to not like you. I mean, it gets better right? Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle....

Today we answer a common question from listeners, "How should I handle it when my teenager spends all their time in their room"? As you can guess, Dr. Ken starts with advice on avoiding a control battle but what to do after that? What is the reason they stay in there so much? Is this a sign of depression? Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com Get...

This week we finish up our discussion from last week about dealing with adolescents after they finish high school. Many young adults live at home at least for some period of time after they have reached adulthood. What are the best ways to deal with conflicts that might arise? Are parents required to let their adult children stay in their home if they need it? What about uncomfortable questions ab...

Is there a time when parents are really done parenting? We get so many questions from parents who have invested so much in parenting their teens that they're not sure what to do after high school. While you'll always be their parent, their is a point where you should no longer push your help on your kids. Dr. Ken offers even more clarity on parents as a "benevolent bank." Got quest...

We've gotten email questions about adolescents who resist involvement in any sport or activity. How can parents continue to implement planned emancipation if they have to sit a watch their teenager sit around and avoid getting involved with anything? What if your teen has been successful in a sport, music or something else but they suddenly decide they want to quit? Today Jessica and Dr. Ken t...

Did you see the Barbie movie? Should you take a 12 year old girl to see it? You're not still limiting your 13 and older kids on what PG-13 movies they can see are you? Today Jessica and Dr. Ken discuss the implications of the summer blockbuster hit. Some movies are worth seeing and discussing with your daughters because they reflect current cultural issues well. How can Christians make use of...

This week we conclude our discussion of "parenting" as the term has come to imply some "inside track" of parental knowledge that can, supposedly, guarantee a happy and successful kid. Dr. Ken shares the truth that not only is this burden carried mostly by moms but actually by middle-class, white moms. At least that's what New York Times columnist Ylonda Gault Caviness says. htt...

Where did we get this idea that there's some "inside track" of techniques parents should be implementing to raise amazing children? Is there any evidence that parental influence can guarantee some level of success in their children? Why do so many parents live in fear that they're failing with their kids? Why does this fear burden mothers so much more than fathers? Today we take on...

Today we finish our great interview with Dr. Kelly Kapic, professor of theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. His book, "You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News" is a breath of fresh air for Christian parents who constantly struggle with their own limitations as parents. In this second part, Kelly talks abo...

Most all parents constantly feel guilty that they're not doing enough for their kids. For Christian parents, does our faith make any difference when we suffer like this? Theology professor Kelly Kapic's most recent book, "You're Only Human" takes on this constant guilt and self-judgment. He reminds us that human limitations are not the same as sin. As a college professor he has...

We continue paring down some of the vast amount of information and focus on the critical elements that are sometimes lost. Today Dr. Ken revives a discussion about entitlement and the damage this does to children of all ages. How can parents avoid overly entitled teenagers? What if parents haven't focused on this before but decide they need to now? Also, isn't "entitled" just a nic...

Summer's coming, Jessica and Ashley are swamped so Dr. Ken shares some of the essentials of "Feeding The Mouth" parenting. Today we revisit questions about phone limits, when your kid has been drinking, "dab" pens, driving and more. There's a lot of information out there but focusing in on the more common issues can, hopefully, remind us of what a Planned Emancipation appro...

Having a relationship where your teenager shares everything with their parents is a good thing... right? Today we talk about complications in the idealistic expectation that parents want teenagers who tell them everything that is going on in their lives. Sometimes there's reason to actually ask a teenager, "... why are you telling me this?" After all, did you tell your parents everythi...

Jessica and Ashley revive an axiom they learned in a Bible study, "our words should build, bless and benefit." How could any Christian parent disagree with these goals for our children? Well... Dr. Ken has some concerns! Today we consider the purpose of words that may seem critical. Verbal sparring can be an advanced form of "rough-housing" which, research indicates, can be helpful...

This week we review a checklist of the stuff parents need to be doing this spring to move planned emancipation along. Especially for parents of high school seniors, now is the time to be mostly finished with giving over freedoms including... electronics, attending church etc. Scary stuff but necessary to finish well. We also talk about items on the list for parents of early and middle adolescents....

School shootings only add to parents' fears for their child's safety and well-being. These fears make it hard for parents to know how to or even if they should talk to their kids about these events. As you might guess, Dr. Ken suggests there are important differences in the way parents should talk to children vs adolescents. Is this the time to talk about gun-control or mental health laws?...

Once a parent has given over an area of freedom to their teenager, they must NOT continue to check and remind their kid about it. Letting the natural consequences of your teen's choices fall on them is necessary to teens developing responsibility in managing more and more areas of their lives. On the other hand, parents shouldn't be saddled with constantly "biting their tongue" whi...

In a world that insists that there are no real differences between men and women, how can parents help their daughters navigate this confusion? Today we talk about the successes and failures of feminism for our girls. We also talk about empowering girls in their femininity rather than needing to be "just like a boy." Dr. Ken references the book by Louise Perry, "The Case Against The Se...

What is "toxic masculinity?" How can parents encourage healthy masculinity? Today we take on a somewhat provocative topic for today. What is a healthy way to encourage real "male-ness" in a culture that is denying any "real" masculine and feminine traits in our children? What can moms do to encourage healthy masculinity in their sons? What is the role of fathers in this str...