Parenting Today's Teens

It’s the start of another school year. And for many parents …it’s the start of another nine months of fighting about grades!

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

Academic pursuits can cause tension in the home. It makes sense… because grades are measurable. But the problem comes when parents confuse grades with personal value.

If you want to push your teen to do better in school… start here…

First… don’t do the homework for your kids!

And second… if you see grades drop suddenly, start looking behind the behavior for a cause. [[There could be something wrong!]]

And third… recognize your own anxiety when it comes to education. What’s your motivation for having high standards?

Remember… high or low …a grade- point- average says nothing about the value of your teen!

As you’re flipping the calendar from 2019 to 2020… it’s the perfect time to think through your goals and desires for the family.

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

What do you want to change in your family in the coming year? Do you need to rearrange your schedule in order to have a weekly one- on- one time with your teen? Or maybe… it’s time to get some outside help for your family.

Take a moment today to think through the tangible positive steps you can take in the coming year. Then… sit down with the kids and ask them what changes they’d like to make in the family dynamic. You might be surprised by their response!

Here’s your chance. Be intentional. Get a fresh start!

Financial responsibility is a necessary life skill that even most adults haven’t mastered. Which is why it’s so important to start teaching our teens at an early age.

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

Teens desperately need to learn how to manage their money. And that’s where Mom and Dad come in!

For example, at age 13, have your teen begin to manage a checking account and pay for minor expenses out of a weekly allowance. At 15, encourage them to do some babysitting or mow a neighbor’s lawn. And when they start driving, make them pay for gas and insurance with they money they earn from a weekend job. By the time they’re adults, they’ll be well prepared to manage their finances wisely and responsibly.

Mom, Dad … hear me out … and start teaching your teen how to manage money!

Growing up, I always had a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for people in positions of authority. But kids today don’t see it that way!

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

Our teens have seen it all. They’ve watched politicians lie and cheat, church leaders fall from grace, and role models make bad decisions. And as a result, teens today have become jaded toward authority. Just because you wear a crisp uniform and badge … doesn’t mean you earn their respect.

So if your teen is struggling to respect others, be the positive example he desperately needs. It’s difficult to talk about respect if your child doesn’t think that you’re worthy of it yourself. And when they learn to show respect at home, they’ll be able to carry it into every other area of life.

We’ve all been parenting with different degrees of success. So how does your parenting style compare to others? This weekend on Parenting Today’s Teens, Mark Gregston identifies six common parenting styles that can end up backfiring on you! Discover why they don’t work—and the one critical component that’ll make all the difference in how your teen responds to your approach.

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “We don’t necessarily doubt that God will do the best for us; we wonder how painful the best will turn out to be.”

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

As parents, we never seek out pain when raising a family. In fact, we usually do everything within our power to avoid it. But all too often, our tendency to run from pain … means that we fail to experience God’s very best for our lives.

Look … parents in the midst of pain are in the worst position to change it. In reality, they’re in the best position to be changed by it. So don’t run from those awkward, goofy, distasteful moments that teens bring into your home!

God truly wants the best for you. But the best may require a little pain.

Your kids are most likely at home right now, enjoying a nice long Christmas break. But before you know it, they’ll be heading back to school for a whole new semester …

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

New Years has gotta be one of my favorite holidays because it’s all about fresh starts. It’s when we put the past twelve months behind … and look ahead to the year to come.

So if your son or daughter just came out of a rough semester at school … let them know that there’s no better time to make new friends, do better in class, or mend damaged relationships.

Now’s their opportunity to wipe the slate clean.

Mom, Dad … help your teen leave the past in the past where it belongs. There’s a bright future ahead!

Today, we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace. But in homes with teenagers, Christmas is sometimes anything but peaceful.

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

Even with the extra stress and pressure that comes with the holiday season … Christmas can still be the perfect time for family fun.

Try baking some Christmas cookies … or decorating a gingerbread house! Even if Dad’s elaborate construction falls apart … or Mom ends up with frosting on her nose … you’ll still create a fun, safe, and inviting environment that your kids will actually want to be in.

This Christmas, let your kids see just how goofy you can really be. Blessings, my friend!

May your home be filled with an extra measure of peace, laughter, joy, and love.

In John 16:33, Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

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

If you’re dealing with a wayward teen, you know how it feels to be relationally fatigued, emotionally beaten up, and personally worn down … all at the same time.

So if you need a good measure of peace this Christmas … it’s time to stop worrying and start praying! Spend a few minutes each day reading God’s Word. Be still in His presence. And entrust your problems … and your teen … to Him.

Even though we’re guaranteed to have trouble in this world … in Christ, we have everlasting peace.

Christmas is the season to give and forgive. And it all started when God, the greatest “giver,” gave His only begotten Son.

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

When Jesus came to earth as a baby, He ushered in a new age of hope and reconciliation. And though we didn’t deserve it, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross made it possible to restore our relationship with God … our Heavenly Father.

So if “peace on earth” and “good will to men” are far from your home this Christmas, let your teen know that you’ll always pursue a relationship with them. There’s no better time to follow Christ’s example and offer a son or daughter God-like undeserved reconciliation.

Make sure your child knows … God’s thumbprint is on his life. And for God, no relationship is ever too broken to mend.