Parenting Today's Teens

Stumbling Through Social Norms

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Mark Gregston answers the top parenting question of the week, which comes from a couple who is trying to encourage their 13-ye...

Do You Lead a Grace-Based Home?

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If your relationship with your teen consists of nothing but rules, chances are that your child will continue to pull away from you as they get older. ...

The Power of Practicing Introspection

16 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

No parent is perfect, and your past experiences with YOUR parents can have an impact on how you view the world and interact with your own kids. That&#...

When One Bad Choice Becomes a Pattern

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The vast majority of teenagers will experiment with alcohol at least once during their high school years, and this experimentation can quickly turn in...

Keep Your Welcome Mat Out for Your Teens

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As teens develop into adulthood, they'll inevitably take some wrong turns — and maybe get totally lost — along the way. If your teen makes poo...

Kick Back and Relax (With Your Teen!)

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mark Gregston answers the top parenting question of the week, which comes from a single mom who's trying to figure out how to cre...

Changing Your Teen's Heart Through Connection

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today's teens are constantly interacting with their friends through texting and social media, but that doesn't mean they are forming actual co...

Grandparents, Is Your Home a Safe Haven?

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Teens face all kinds of physical, social and emotional pressures every day, and they NEED a safe place to decompress and feel understood. Grandparents...

From Addiction to a New Life

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

These days, teens have easier access to drugs than ever before, and MANY of them take advantage of opportunities to experiment. Unfortunately, this is...

Don't Let a Troubled Teen Rule Your Home

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When a teen is spiraling out of control, it impacts everyone else in the home — including their siblings. As parents, it's up to you to make sur...

When an Only Child Has to Share Their Parents' Love

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Mark Gregston answers the top parenting question of the week, which comes from a mom who is expecting a baby. However, her 14-...

Discipline: You Need Rules AND Relationships

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Disciplining your child once they become a teen certainly looks different than it did when they were little — it involves a lot more than simply tel...

Wisdom Flows From Real Conversations

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Can you think of a person, or maybe a group of people, who poured into you with wisdom and positive affirmations when you were younger? For teens and ...

You Don't Have to 'Fake It 'Til You Make It'

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's impactful episode, Mark Gregston sits down with two teens staying at Heartlight who both attempted suicide not long before arriving at ...

Don't Lose Sight of the Big Picture

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you have a teen that is spiraling out of control, it can be easy to feel like there is no hope. But God works all things together for good — even...

When It's Time to Send Your Teen to Heartlight

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The number one question parents ask Mark Gregston is, "How do I know when to send my teen away for help?" In this special episode, Mark addres...

Parents, Take Time for Yourself Too

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you're in the middle of a battle with your teen, the stress can take a huge toll on your mental and physical health. If you're married, t...

Is Your Child Stuck in 'Waithood'?

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you don't switch to a training model instead of a teaching model when your child becomes a teen, there's a chance they might hit the brakes...

When Teens Sweat the Small Stuff

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Teens can sometimes struggle to see the big picture in life, and they get stuck worrying about the little things too much. In this week's intervie...

Do You Have a Narcissistic Teen Under Your Roof?

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that teens can be pretty self-centered, but when does normal teen vanity turn into narcissism? In this episode, Mark Gregston and W...

Loving Your Teens the Way They Need to Be Loved

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us have heard of the five love languages — but what if your teen doesn't fit neatly into one of those categories? If you try to limit th...

Why Are Teens Leaving the Church?

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A big issue impacting the Church today is that the vast majority of teens stop attending after they graduate high school ... but why is that? In today...

Real Connection Is Cultivated

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the biggest challenges parents face today is how to share timeless wisdom with their teens WITHOUT seeming judgmental or disconnected from the ...

Teens and Trauma: It's Okay Not to Be Okay

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Mark Gregston chats with a couple of Heartlight teens — both of whom experienced deeply traumatic events early in life. For one you...

How Do You Get Your Child to Respect Authority?

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today's teens view people in authority much differently than they used to. Instead of giving them respect, teens often view authority figures as u...

Top Tips for Teens with Anxiety

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this special episode, Mark Gregston answers a question from an insightful young lady who is trying to successfully navigate her teen years while de...

Are You Disengaged From Your Teen's Life?

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you and your teen are in the midst of conflict, or you don't understand something about their culture, it can be tempting to just pull away f...

Don't Lose Love in the Fight

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you and your teen disagree on something, whether it's politics, how they're dressing, who they want to date or anything in between, do yo...

Overcoming the Sting of Rejection

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Teenagers are naturally driven to be social butterflies, but when being a people-pleaser backfires or they're totally rejected by their peers, cop...

Why Forgiveness Needs to Prevail

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One thing is certain about teenagers — they WILL make mistakes and hurt you from time to time. This is where forgiveness is your superpower! In this...

Teens and Porn: Caught in the Act

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week's top listener question comes from a mom who caught her 16-year-old son watching pornography — a situation all-too-common for many par...

Parents, You're Allowed to Take a Break

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you're feeling tired and defeated from ongoing battles with your teen, it might be time for you to take a break! Whether that means going out o...

Are You Listening to Your Teen's Heart?

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If there is one thing the majority of teens have in common, it's that they are desperate to be loved for WHO they are, not for what they do. So, M...

Breaking Down Barriers Between Dads and Teens

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Teens can benefit enormously from having a close, genuine relationship with their dad, but sometimes — through any combo of life's challenges —...

When Teens Enter Self-Destruct Mode

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Teens in today's culture engage in all kinds of self-destructive behaviors, from cutting to drinking to sexual promiscuity. So, as a parent, how c...

Learning to Love Your Adult Child's Future Spouse

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When your child enters their young adult years, they'll more than likely start seeking out a serious relationship or future spouse — and you may...

The Modern Spiritual Prodigal

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When your teen pulls away from — or outright rejects — the faith that you've raised them with, it can feel like you've done something wron...

Teens Are Crying Out for Real Wisdom

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From the outside, today's teen culture looks crazy — practically every parent can agree on that! But it's important to remember that it'...

Coming Back from Rock Bottom

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's interview with Heartlight teens, Mark Gregston sits down to talk with a couple of teens who know exactly what it feels like to hit ...

Teens and Drug Use: Don't Get Caught Off Guard

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Out of the thousands of teens who have stayed at Heartlight, a large portion of them have been involved with some kind of drug use. A common factor? M...

Enforcing Rules on Older Teens

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Mark Gregston answers the parenting question of the week, which comes from a couple trying to figure out if they can still enf...

You Weren't Created to Be a Doormat

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As a parent, you have every right to establish boundaries to protect yourself AND your teen. Adolescents are self-centered by nature, and if you don&#...

Take the Pressure Off Yourself — And Your Kids!

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever catch yourself worrying about if people view you as a good parent? You're not alone, but the good news is that you can take the pressu...

What Issues Hide Behind Perfectionism?

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Teens that struggle with perfectionism often start using harmful coping mechanisms to help relieve some of the pressure they put on themselves. But un...

When Your Teen Says 'No' to Church

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For plenty of families who go to church on a regular basis, there will come a day when your teen (or pre-teen) starts pushing back and doesn't wan...

Pinpointing the Proper Consequences

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Mark Gregston answers a question from a distraught couple whose teenage son stole hundreds of dollars from them to spend on vi...

How Does Divorce Really Impact Kids?

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's culture, the chances are pretty high that your family has been directly or indirectly impacted by divorce in some way — and many peop...

The First Step to Healing Your Family Is Acceptance

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this devotional, Mark Gregston shares stories from families who all had to accept the truth of their child's behavior or struggles in order to ...

The Toxic Side of Technology

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Mark Gregston sits down with a couple of Heartlight teens and learns why their families sent them to the boarding school. For ...

Teen Suicide: Know the Warning Signs

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When teens feel completely hopeless and think they have nowhere left to turn, they might start to believe suicide is the only option to end their pain...

Getting Your Teen Out of Their Room and Into the World

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 phon...

When Should Teens Get Medical Treatment for Behavior?

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If your teen has been diagnosed with a mental or behavioral disorder, it's normal if you feel apprehension about seeking medication for their issu...

Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Working Together to Reconcile

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When teens come to Heartlight, the lessons they — and their parents — learn often change the dynamics of their whole family, but it takes effort o...

Preparing Tweens for the Years Ahead

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 teenage...

Being a Pioneer Parent of the Digital Age

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The immense amount of technology and information that teens have access to today presents new challenges for parents that prior generations never had ...

How Strong is Your Bond With Your Teen?

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Household rules, expectations and belief systems are all wonderful things to have — but if you don't cultivate a real relationship with your chi...

Over-Responsible Parents Equal Irresponsible Kids

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

When Blended Families Start Bickering

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Giving Thanks in the Middle of a Storm

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 t...

Letting Your Children Speak for Themselves

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 th...

Birds of a Feather...

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 w...

The Power of Positive Affirmations

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

The Impact of Instability

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Growing up in a family where houses and parental dynamics are constantly changing can definitely have an impact on kids — especially once they hit t...

Mom and Dad, Become a United Front

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Here's a painful truth: When teens start struggling, the first casualty is often the relationship between their parents. Not being on the same pag...

Are You Teaching Your Teen Responsibility?

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

The Dos and Don'ts of Discipline

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 Sh...

No Family Is Immune to Struggle

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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-contro...

Overcoming the Obstacle of Abandonment

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ch...

Learning to Parent With Grace

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When you think of "parenting with grace," what comes to mind? Is it the elimination of consequences for your teen's bad decisions? That sh...

How to Make Your Questions Count

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Love the Most When It's Deserved the Least

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 jo...

Give Your Kids Permission to Be Imperfect

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the fastest ways to damage your relationship with your teen is to constantly demand perfection or place unreasonable expectations on them — y...

Can Change Be Sustainable?

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Parents, Learn to Start Saying "No"

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Doing everything for your children when they're little is totally acceptable — but when they become teens, continuing to attend to their every n...

Pick Your Battles Wisely

05 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today's teens are living in a culture that is often vile and full of demeaning language, and not surprisingly, this is reflected in today's po...

Grandparents, What Do You Want to Be Known For?

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you're a grandparent — or will become one someday — you'll need to examine your relationship with your grandkids and what impression yo...

The Key to Connection: Listen More, Talk Less

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How well do you truly know your children? Do you spend time listening to them at the dinner table? Or is that time simply spent lecturing your teen? I...

Helping Teens Work Through Grief

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When teens push down deep wounds, such as grief and low self-worth, those repressed emotions will eventually explode — often in very unhealthy ways....

Making the Best of the School Year

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the back-to-school season rapidly approaches, your teen might be nervous about returning to the pressures of middle school or high school. So how c...

Figuring Out a Teen's Spiritual Love Language

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

So, your teen has declared they no longer want to go to church — what now?! In this episode, Mark Gregston sits down to answer some tough questions,...

Do You Have a Good Relationship With Your Teen?

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know how to tell if you have a good, healthy relationship with your teenager? Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd share FIVE markers you can use t...

When Kids Are Blindsided by Culture

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As kids enter their teen years, they get completely bombarded by information, gossip and negative messaging from media sources all around them. Unfort...

Adopted Teens: Struggling with Attachment

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Adopted teens — and their parents — often have a unique set of challenges throughout the adolescent years as the teen explores questions about the...

Are Your Habits Getting Under Your Child's Skin?

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

No matter how well-intentioned they are, many parents have habits they may not even be aware of that drive their teens crazy and damage the relationsh...

How Many Chances Is Too Many?

22 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Most parents experience their teens breaking their trust. But what if you've given multiple chances and the behavior continues? On today's epi...

The Importance of Being a Parent, Not a "Peerent"

21 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Parents are engaging with their kids more than ever before, but when those same kids grow up thinking the world revolves around them, they're in f...

Can Your Kids Count On You?

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As kids enter their teen years, they become increasingly aware of how uncertain the world can be. They are surrounded by news of wars, school shooting...

We're All Here for a Reason

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

So many teens battle depression and other mental health issues, and as parents, it's extremely important to be able to identify cries for help whe...

The First Step Is a Second Chance

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Can you remember when someone gave you a second chance after you made a mistake? In the harsh world we live in, your teens need that grace from you, t...

Setting Up Balanced House Rules

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Creating a home environment with balanced, reasonable rewards and consequences can be crucial for your teen's growth into an independent adult —...

Guilt and Shame: What's the Difference?

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's okay for teens to feel guilt when they do something they know is wrong — but when parents then approach them with shame-filled comments and...

Beginning Your Journey of Authenticity

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Parenting teenagers is no walk in the park — especially when your child is going through a difficult phase and declaring they don't need you any...

Real Relationships Require Trust

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Experiencing trauma and betrayal at a young age can leave a lasting, devastating impact on a teen's life, and sometimes they need a helping hand t...

Is It Time to Measure Your Motives?

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Practically every parent can think of things their child does that are bothersome, but are you spending too much time correcting — or worse — nagg...

Are You Keeping the Door Open for Conversation?

08 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you make a point to sit down with your teen at least once a week and simply spend some time with them? If not, it may be time to start! In this spe...

Helping Your Teen Read the Road Signs

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Gregston is joined by Wayne Shepherd to discuss how parents should naturally fall into the role of being a moral compass for their kids as they n...

When the Going Gets Tough...

06 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It can be very tempting to totally avoid conflict when there's tension between you and your teen, but it's usually better to confront the prob...

Turning a Teen's Life Around

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When a teen's home life becomes full of pain and tension, sometimes they see no other way out of the situation other than suicide. But no teenager...

Be Prepared for Pitfalls

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today's generation of teens faces so many challenges and areas where they can stumble into behaviors that harm themselves or the people around the...