Parenting Today's Teens

In this episode, Mark Gregston answers a question from a listener whose 15-year-old daughter wants to spend most of her time alone playing on her phone. Does that sound familiar? Mark shares some practical steps you can take to help your teen get motivated to take responsibility, start pursuing other activities and begin to learn internal boundaries. Tune in now for Mark's tips!   Are you face...

If your teen has been diagnosed with a mental or behavioral disorder, it's normal if you feel apprehension about seeking medication for their issues — many parents do! But getting medical treatment for a disorder is sometimes the best thing you can do for your teen when they're struggling. In this episode, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd tackle the tough topic of how parents can help thei...

Anger can sometimes be an amazing motivator for teens, but it can also damage or destroy relationships if they get swept up in it. So, how should you respond when your teen flies into a fit of rage? In this episode, Mark Gregston explains that when a teen gets angry, there is almost always a deeper reason behind it, and it's up to YOU to take a breath, observe and get to the bottom of it. List...

When teens come to Heartlight, the lessons they — and their parents — learn often change the dynamics of their whole family, but it takes effort on everyone's part to continue moving forward in a healthy way. In today's episode, Mark Gregston chats with a couple of young men in the residential counseling program, including Jared, who has come to recognize that both he and his parents will...

If you're the parent of a tween — a child between 9 and 12 years old — you've probably noticed they seem to act more and more like teenagers with each passing day. That's why it's SO important to stay engaged with them and begin to teach them how to make good decisions and take responsibility now rather than later. Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd sit down to share some advice for...

The immense amount of technology and information that teens have access to today presents new challenges for parents that prior generations never had to deal with. Put simply, how much screen time is too much? In this episode, Mark answers a question from a frustrated mom who is navigating the world of screen time limits for each of her three kids. Don't miss Mark's insights!   Have your o...

Household rules, expectations and belief systems are all wonderful things to have — but if you don't cultivate a real relationship with your child, those rules won't do much good. Mark Gregston is joined by Wayne Shepherd to talk about why spending lighthearted one-on-one time with your teen is a huge investment in strengthening the relationship. Listen in for this great discussion!   For...

If you don't start to hand over the reins of responsibility to your kids as they enter their adolescent years, it can have lasting consequences as they enter their adult years. In today's devotional, Mark Gregston explains that overinvolved parents who continue to do everything for their teens are setting their kids up to be entitled and unmotivated adults. You want your kids to soar after...

If you're a stepparent to a teenager, you probably know that your relationship with them comes with a unique set of challenges. In this week's interview, Mark Gregston sits down with a young lady who found herself at Heartlight because she and her stepmom struggled with nonstop conflict. But at the end of the day, their relationship is one of the most valued ones in this teen's life. D...

It can be hard to keep a positive outlook when you're walking through difficulty with your teen, but eventually, every storm comes to an end. In today's episode, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd discuss why you should try to see the good in your child and still offer them unconditional love in the midst of their struggles — just like God does for us. Tune in for this great discussion!    F...

If your child is shutting down and never wants to engage in conversations with you, there is almost always something going on behind the scenes. In this episode, Mark Gregston tackles a tough question sent in by a mom whose son hasn't been willing to open up to her or a counselor. As a parent, it's crucial to show your child that you'll give them a listening ear, without interjecting y...

If you're like many parents, you can probably pinpoint which one of your teen's friends is "the bad kid." But have you ever wondered why your child is drawn to that friendship? In this episode, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd talk about how a teen's friends are often an expression of what's going on in their hearts, and why you should steer clear of sheltering your kids to...

Comments people make to teens, especially negative or hurtful ones, can leave a lasting impact on their hearts for years to come. In this devotional, Mark Gregston recalls how he was personally impacted by naysayers — along with how he was uplifted and motivated by mentors who believed in him. Your children need your encouragement to chase God's calling for their lives!   If you're looking...

Growing up in a family where houses and parental dynamics are constantly changing can definitely have an impact on kids — especially once they hit their teen years. In this episode, Mark Gregston interviews a couple more Heartlight teens, including one young lady who is working through drug abuse recovery and emotional wounds caused by an unstable household. But no matter the obstacles, she wants...

Here's a painful truth: When teens start struggling, the first casualty is often the relationship between their parents. Not being on the same page about how to handle an out-of-control teen can cause a LOT of conflict and friction in practically any marriage, no matter how solid it may seem. In this episode, Mark Gregston sits down with Wayne Shepherd to discuss tips parents can use to keep t...

One of a parent's biggest challenges in today's culture is teaching their child how to use technology and social media responsibly, without it hindering their academics, job or other chores. So, what should your approach be? In this episode, Mark Gregston addresses this question and other challenges submitted by parents just like you. Don't miss his insights! Do you have a parenting pr...

As your child enters their teenage years, they begin to change a LOT — and so should your methods of discipline. Mark Gregston is joined by Wayne Shepherd to discuss how you can enforce household rules without sacrificing the relationship you've cultivated with your child. The way you discipline your teen now will make all the difference in how they approach their adult life!   For more advice...

In this special episode, Mark Gregston shares insights on why it is so important to seek out wise, biblical counsel when dealing with an out-of-control or struggling child. In addition to sharing his own personal story of family hardship, Mark recounts some stories from parents he's worked with over the years who had very different challenges with their teens, but all found the only way forwar...

Every teen whose parents get divorced copes with the situation differently, but sometimes when mom and dad go their separate ways, it can leave the child with a sense of abandonment. In this episode, Mark Gregston chats with a few Heartlight teens, including a 17-year-old who came to Heartlight to work through the grief and anger his parents' divorce left him with. Don't miss his insightfu...

When you think of "parenting with grace," what comes to mind? Is it the elimination of consequences for your teen's bad decisions? That shouldn't be the case! In this episode, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd explain that approaching a child with grace does not mean they don't receive consequences, but it DOES mean you will continue to love them no matter what they've done...

Like most parents of teens, you might be familiar with your child answering "I don't know," when you try to ask them about their thoughts or even how their day went. So, how do you get past the wall of "I don't know?" In this episode, Mark Gregston shares some questions you can begin to ask your teen to genuinely engage them and get to their hearts — eventually, they might...

Most teens, at their core, just want to know there is no mistake they could make that would cause their parents to love them less. Mark Gregston is joined by Wayne Shepherd to discuss why it is SO important for you to communicate unconditional love to your teen. So many things in today's culture are conditional or performance-based — the integrity of your relationship with your child shouldn&#...

One of the fastest ways to damage your relationship with your teen is to constantly demand perfection or place unreasonable expectations on them — you may have great intentions, but it could leave your teen feeling as if they'll never be good enough. Mark Gregston recounts his personal experience with someone who demanded perfection along with some comments from Heartlight teens who share what...

On today's episode, Mark Gregston sits down with a couple of Heartlight teens, including Emily, who is just about to graduate from the residential counseling program. When Emily first arrived at Heartlight, she struggled deeply with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and more, but in the months she spent on campus, she learned to love herself again. Tune in to hear how she plans to tackle...

Doing everything for your children when they're little is totally acceptable — but when they become teens, continuing to attend to their every need will only enable their selfishness. In this episode, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd talk about the steps you can take to model selflessness for your kids and ensure they don't grow up to be self-centered adults. Don't miss this important...