It’s easy to smile when things are great. But frankly … life isn’t always all that great.

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

Everything seemed so much easier when the kids were younger! They giggled. They ran up and hugged you when you got home. And they could entertain themselves for hours with an empty box and some craft paper.

But now they’ve turned into angry, brooding, money-grubbing creatures called teenagers.

Hey, I know things are harder now. But there’s still plenty of room for joy, even when pushing through the hard years. Romans 12:12 says: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (NIV)

In a tough place today? It’s okay to fall apart. You’re in good hands. Ask God for fresh wind in your sails … and a bunch of joy.

Over the course of parenthood, you’ll face your fair share difficult situations and tough
decisions. But one of the hardest things you’ll ever have to do might not be what you expect … trusting God!

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

Whether you realize it or not, God’s got a plan for you, your teen, and your whole family.
Maybe it’s hard to see when you’re in the thick of things. But even when life feels out of control … God’s still got it in His hands.

I’ve got a homework assignment for you, and it isn’t going to be easy. I want you to think about the headache in your life today. The thing that’s always on your mind. Now, give it over to God … right now … and trust that He’ll see you through.

Would you ever tell me that you demand perfection from your teen? Probably not. But would your teen give the same answer?

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

Over decades of working with kids, I’ve heard hundreds of sons and daughters say that their parents needed them to be perfect. Now, I imagine that very few parents would actually confirm that statement. But there’s clearly a pattern here. Even though you don’t verbally demand perfection, maybe your actions say otherwise.

Let me encourage you today to reflect on your relationship with your teen. Could you silently be telling him that he needs to perform to earn your love?

Try out one of my favorite axioms: “There’s nothing you can do to make me love you more. There’s nothing you can do to make me love you less.”

They’ve been around for thousands of years. It’s one of man’s longest-enduring inventions.

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

I’m talking about maps. Nowadays we just pull them up on our computers and smart phones. But we’d be foolish to go on a trip without consulting a map to plan out where we’re going … and how we’re gonna get there.

The same thing goes for raising kids. Right now, you have an immature child that you want to see grow into an independent adult. But how do you get them from point A to point B?

My recommendation is to map out a plan. It could look like an outline of new responsibilities you give your child for every year they grow older. But moms and dads shouldn’t set out on the journey … without plotting out the directions!

Mom, dad, draw the map.

What’s the one thing a girl can’t live without?

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

Even if your teen tries to tell you otherwise, she can live without her cell phone, her make-up, and that pair of boots, too. But the one thing she really does need to survive is relationship. Just as we were created to walk with our Heavenly Father, our children are wired to seek a personal relationship with us.

So trust me on this one: if your daughter isn’t finding a relationship with mom and dad at home, she’ll try to fill the void elsewhere … with things like guys, girlfriends, academics, and sports … or even turn to destructive habits like drugs and alcohol.

Have you developed a meaningful relationship with your daughter? Give her what she can’t get from anywhere else … a true sense of value and love.

Our kids are gonna make mistakes. We remember the stupid stuff we did as kids, right? But when our teens mess up, it’s tempting to feel like a complete failure!

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

Mom, Dad, when you’re moppin’ up a mess your kids made… it’s easy to assume you’ve let everyone down. It’s at these moments when we can draw strength from this verse. The Bible says God is “able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” (Jude 24)

That’s a promise we can’t always feel… but we can always trust. God will hold you in His hands, even when life seem to be spiraling out of control… and He will cause things to turn out well …for His glory.

When you feel like a failure… trust Him who can keep you from falling.

Are your teens in the “attack mode”? Do they come at you with guns blazing… ready for a fight?

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

Teens often sport an aggressive “I’m-here-to-win-the-battle” attitude. They’re willing to sacrifice people and relationships to come out on top. Sound familiar? Got one of those kids at your house?

Well, if your child is attacking you physically… don’t hesitate to call the police!

But if he’s attacking you verbally, take time to look behind the words… and find out what’s motivating him to respond with such ugliness and rage. Once you understand what’s behind the attack, you’ll be responding from a place of grace and love… instead of reaction and defensiveness.

Don’t let a teen’s ugly attack hijack your family! Meet his anger with peace and grace. It won’t be long before he thanks you.

How do you see conflict? Is it an emotional beating to be avoided at all costs? Or maybe an obstacle to be overcome quickly and with agility?

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

The manner in which you embrace conflict will determine the outcome in your home. If you dodge conflict, you’ll leave behind unresolved issues and bitterness… and you’ll teach your kids to do the same.

Let me suggest a better approach. Treat conflict as a gate toward something better. When parents attack adversity with the goal of seeing their child’s heart and making peace… they’ll come out the other side having restored the relationship. Isn’t that what we want?

So don’t run… and don’t attempt to win at all costs. Instead… when conflict shows up at your door …embrace it.

Every family faces its own challenges. And while Mom, Dad and kids each play their role at the center… don’t forget one powerful source of rescue when times are tough.

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

Grandparents can be an important piece of the puzzle when families are struggling. They can come alongside difficult kids and grandkids to give a hug… to provide seasoned advice… and to introduce a little laughter at the right moment. No one can have impact quite like a grandparent!

If you have grandkids, use your strengths and resources to help the family. Your non-judgmental presence in a crisis will reap rich reward.

So be intentional in your role. You’re not a nuisance or an interference during hard times. You have the opportunity to accomplish what no one on earth can.