Parenting Today’s Teens

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: Of all the billions of people on this planet, God chose you to parent your child. Whether you have birth- children, adopted children, grandchildren or a niece or nephew… God has converged your life with theirs for a reason.  That means you have unique insights, wisdom, talents, skills, and values to give your child. In a day when kids have access to all kinds of entertainment… it’s easy for parents to feel they can’t compete.  But kids really do want more than video games, Facebook and movies.  Teens are hardwired to belong.  In fact, they crave belonging!  And even when they don’t always show it, they crave belonging to you. Remember… God chose you to parent your child.  Make sure your teen fully understands the extent of their sacred position in your heart.   ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: When traveling to a foreign country, you may employ a translator… someone to help you understand what’s going on around you.  Well, for some of us, it seems like our kids are speaking a foreign language right at home!  Need help understanding what’s going on? I’ve met a lot of parents who give well- meaning advice to their children… but it’s interpreted much differently than it was intended.  The kid barks some kind of defensive comment… and parents are left wondering, What did I say wrong? At this point it’s helpful to put yourself in your teen’s shoes… to “translate” your comments, if you will.  You might be surprised that your well- intentioned comments actually came across as judgmental. Next time, pause and translate your comments before you speak!   ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes hereHALF-HOUR PODCAST SUMMARY: Your child used to be a thoughtful, considerate, and caring kid.  But all of a sudden, he became a teenager, maybe even turned into a self-centered brat!  What’s a mom or dad to do?  Listen to Parenting Today’s Teens, when Mark Gregston offers practical advice on weeding out the selfishness in teens and challenging them to care for others.  Taking air out of the inflated teen ego on this edition of Parenting Today’s Teens! Special Guest: Tim Elmore ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: James chapter 1 commands us to be “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.”  It’s a tall order, isn’t it?  Especially with teens in the house! I love that verse because it communicates something I see everyday.  When parents jump to conclusions or begin lecturing before they’ve listened… it does more harm than good. So, mom … dad …when your teen acts up, ask questions first.  Be “quick to listen.”  Her actions may signal an issue or incident you haven’t heard about yet.  Maybe it’s her way of communicating a loss or painful circumstance that needs attention.  She’s using her actions to alert you… rather than her words. So, as James tells us, let’s be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry! ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: How much TV do you watch as a family?  Do you have movie nights with the kids? I know it’s not always easy to agree on good movies with your teenager.  But make an effort to watch things with them.  Not for your own entertainment …but to give you a front row seat to hear what their world is like.  And you can talk about the movie as the credits roll.  Kick around the moral issues featured in the film.  Lob open-ended questions about whether or not your kids would act, choose or say the same things as the main character. Here’s an opportunity for you, mom and dad, to connect with your teen, spend time together, and help your child become morally discerning and media- literate! ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: Kids require correction.  From their toddler years to their teenage years, they need guidance and discipline. For the most part, I meet parents who have discipline down pat.  They know how to instruct, enforce and correct.  But where they fall short… is the relationship.  They tend to mistake arguments for conversation and living under the same roof for spending quality time together. But without having a deep and lasting connection with your teen— before the need for discipline arises— you’ll find your eloquent lectures entirely ineffective! If your relationship with your son or daughter is broken or damaged… take time to repair it.  Your pearls of wisdom can only be received when it comes from a foundation of a healthy relationship. ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: I recently received a note from one frustrated mom who asked this:  How do I deal with snarkiness in my teen? Whether you call it “snarkiness” or “rudeness” or whatever… it’s still disrespect.  And it should be off limits in your home.  If your teen is rolling his eyes when you talk, or answering you in demeaning and selfish ways… you need to take action.  Because when left alone, disrespect only gets worse. Take time to talk about respect with your children.  Then communicate why you won’t allow it.  And lay down a few boundaries and consequences.  Have a plan for curbing the “snarkiness” in your home.  Disrespect should never be allowed! ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: No one makes it through life without dealing with this human emotion.  Loss. The pain that follows loss is something none of us escape.  It’s overwhelming when you’ve lost something or someone.  You know what it’s like to grieve a broken relationship or spend sleepless nights fretting over the loss of a dream. Well, those same painful feelings are stirred up in your teen, as well.  When they don’t get what they want… or their dreams are shattered… they experience the hollowness of disappointment, too.  But unlike adults …teens rarely know how to express it. So keep your eyes open for grief in your teen’s life.  Watch how they fill that void… and always be ready to give ‘em a hug!  All of us need those arms of affection that remind us everything’s gonna be okay.   ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes hereHALF-HOUR PODCAST SUMMARY: As teens learn to navigate through life, they’re constantly looking for role models to show them the way.  Unfortunately, many of the men and women our culture looks up to may be poor examples to follow!  So on this edition of Parenting Today’s Teens, Mark Gregston shows moms and dads how to pick up the torch and become the role models their kids need!  Don’t miss the conversation on Parenting Today’s Teens! Special Guest: Leah O’Brien-Amico ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: It’s one of the most insidious traps parents fall into. I’m talkin’ about comparison.  Yep, it’s easy to look at some one else’s family and use them as a measuring stick.  They eat dinner together every night.  Looks like a Norman Rockwell painting.  Your family’s lucky if they grab stale pizza before running out the door. The other kids never speak an unkind word… they’re always obeying mom and dad.  But your kids, of course, seem to be testing the boundaries all day long! Let me calm your nerves a little here.  That other family?  They’re not as good as they look.  And… it’s not worth getting caught up in comparison!  Mom and dad… get back to watching your own kids.  They’re exactly what God wants for you today!     ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: Are you a patient person?  Does your temper flare when the line is too long at the bank?  Are you one of those drivers who pounds the steering wheel when there’s traffic? Patience while waiting in line or on the highway is one thing, but it’s never more needed than when parenting teens!  In fact, I’d say it’s the most important test of your competence as a mom or dad! Hey, your teen will make mistakes.  He’ll forget his responsibilities or make a fool of himself in conversation.  But it’s just one more moment to take a deep breath and choose to love him anyway. We need to be patient …just as God is patient with us!  He’s at work in your life and mine …and we need to pass along the same kind of grace and mercy to our teens.   ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: Years ago I took a job under a boss who was a great guy… but he required perfection from his employees. The job taught me a lot, and I don’t regret it.  But the internal and external pressure to be perfect was overwhelming.  My boss used spiritual motivators to convince me that programs had to run smoothly… and relationships were never to have conflict. You know what that led to?  Burn out.  A neglected marriage.  And I even found myself lying to my boss… just to appear perfect! The lesson is this:  No one’s perfect.  And when we demand perfection from our teens, we just push them to lie, or worse… damage the relationship. Let’s ease up on our demands… and give a little wiggle room for imperfection!   ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: When kids face the uncertainty of a world that’s constantly in flux, they’ll have one of two responses:  Take control… or give up altogether! If the things that mom and dad taught don’t seem to fit in the surrounding culture, teens will often be confused and lost.  At this crossroad of decision, they’ll take one of two roads.  First, a teen will take control.  They try to control their destiny. The second path is to throw it all to the wind.  They’ll abandon mom and dad’s values… and adopt a skeptic mindset.  This teen says, “Whatever I do doesn’t matter anyway.” What path is your teen taking right now?  Be sure you’re there to guide them in this powerful season of uncertainty.   ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes herePODCAST SCRIPT: You can be certain that one day your kids will realize the uncertainty of life! When I think about what kids view and hear today, it’s no surprise that many kids entering adolescence are filled with questions.  They’re undecided about which path to take.  They don’t feel ready to face the world.  And they’re on the fence whether or not they buy in to the stuff their parents taught them. The uncertainty can be overwhelming. Moms and dads need to be aware of this anxiety simmering beneath the surface.  You have an opportunity right now to step in and calm a few fears.  In fact… you can be one of the certain, predictable, and constant forces in your teen’s life!   ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264

Click To Hear Podcast via iTunes hereHALF-HOUR PODCAST SUMMARY: If someone were to observe your attitude as a parent … would they see a calm and consistent person?  Or an over-protective and worried mom or dad?  Listen to Parenting Today’s Teens today, as Mark Gregston helps parents move from a place of worry to a position of wisdom.  A great conversation for stressed out parents … today on Parenting Today’s Teens! Special Guest:  Melody Rhode ©2013 Mark Gregston www.parentingtodaysteens.org. Email: markgregston@heartlightministries.org. Phone: 1-866-700-3264