Parenting Today's Teens

The teen years can be bumpy for any child. But sometimes, adopted teens need a little extra dose of love and patience.

This weekend on Parenting Today’s Teens, Mark Gregston shares the four essential tools in every adoptive parents’ toolbox and offers practical help for navigating the adolescent years.

Does your teenager feel valued and accepted at home? If not, they’ll go lookin’ somewhere else!

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

As parents, we do a ton of stuff for our kids. We take care of their physical needs, cart them around to school events, and give them things our parents never did for us. But all these efforts fall short of giving our kids the thing they crave most. Value. Acceptance. Belonging.

These are the virtues that build self-esteem. It gives them confidence to say “no” to temptation. And though they often find value from good grades or excelling at sports … the only place a teen can find true value is at home.

So, I’ll ask you again … does your teen feel valued? Only you can provide the true sense of worth and acceptance they so desperately need.

Parents of rebellious teens often tell me that they feel like their house is falling apart. But no home is beyond repair!

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

If your relationships at home are falling apart … here are three things you can do to help restore a sense of peace and order.

First, try giving your teen more responsibility. You’ll be surprised by how he steps up to the plate when he has the freedom to grow up.

Second, start listening more and talking less. Your teen is far more likely to respond to two-way conversations than relentless nagging and lectures.

And finally, invest in your relationship. Maybe meet for lunch once a week … or find an activity you both enjoy.

To think that a teenager could become so hopeless that he would choose to end his life is almost too painful to imagine. But with the increasing rate of teen suicides, no parent can afford to ignore the possibility.

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

For teens, suicide is a last-ditch effort to ease the pain, to make a statement, or to get revenge on someone who wronged them. They can’t see the bigger picture—they can only see the “here and now.” Shortsighted immaturity … mixed with feelings of despair … are a lethal combination.

So if your son or daughter has been dropping subtle hints … like talking about death, or isolating themselves from others … don’t ignore the warning signs! Get your teen the help they need … before they become another statistic.

It’s only natural for children to want to push the boundaries. So, when your son or daughter crosses the line, how should you respond?

This weekend on Parenting Today’s Teen, Mark Gregston explains how effective discipline can get a child where they want to go and keep them from where they don’t want to end up.

Okay, you’ve heard of the prodigal son, right? But how ‘bout the prodigal dad?

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

A prodigal is defined as someone who spends lavishly. Yes, the son squandered his inheritance … but it was his father who gave extravagantly. He gave his money … and his love.

Think about it. When his son came back, there was no demand for repayment. No warnings or threats. No shame or judgment. Instead, the father revealed his true prodigal nature by welcoming his son with fanfare. He threw a giant party … and bestowed on his son all the same rights and privileges he’d left behind.

It’s precisely the kind of prodigal grace that our Heavenly Father gives us. In the same fashion … let’s lavish grace and love on our kids every single day.

Over the past few decades, the Internet has completely revolutionized the way our world works. But with all the good … comes the ugly …

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

Thanks to the web, teens and adults have never had easier access to pornography. In fact, even innocent web surfers are likely to run into graphic images.

It used to be that filters and parental controls were enough to keep kids off inappropriate sites. But today’s generation is so tech-savvy … and Internet access so widespread … that many of those methods are now obsolete.

Still, you are not powerless! So take control. It starts with candid conversations in the tween years about curbing our curiosity … and the dangerous pitfalls of porn.

Filter or no filter … a well-trained mind and a prudent heart will always be the greatest safeguard.

Recently, I asked parents on my Facebook page to answer a tough question: “If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?”

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

To be honest, I was half expecting people to just quote some of my better-known parenting tips. But the moms and dads who responded ended up giving some really thoughtful answers.

Things like, “I’d worry less.” “I’d spend more time together as a family.” And, “I’d give more hugs and kisses … even if they made a fuss!”

They all sound like such little things, don’t they? But hindsight is always 20 – 20. So save yourself some heartache … and don’t look back with any regret!

Because to your son or daughter …the little things are what really count.

When a teen starts spiraling out of control … parents are often at a complete loss for what to do.

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

Before you can address any problem, you need to understand what’s causing it. So if your teen is struggling … don’t be afraid to ask questions. Try getting to the root cause.

If your teen isn’t willing to talk … do a little sleuthing. Talk to his teachers and coaches, his youth leaders and friends. See if they have any insights into what’s causing the change in behavior.

And in the meantime, take comfort in knowing that these painful trials aren’t wasted. Second Corinthians 4:17 says, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

Mom, Dad, don’t give up the fight. Your love, your investment, will be worth it all!

Albert Einstein once defined the word insanity. And it applies to parenting your child.

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

So what’s the crazy maker for parents? According to Einstein it’s “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Parenting is no walk in a park. For sure. And just when we get the hang of it … everything changes! The parenting methods we’ve used in the past stop working. And we’re left scratching our heads.

Well, children grow. And as they do, the way we relate needs to change. You can’t discipline a fourteen-year-old the same way you did when she was four!

Are the old methods failing you? Hey, Mom, Dad, stop the insanity and try another method. You cannot do the same thing over and over again and expect different results!