Single Parenting Reset Show: For Solo Parents of Tweens and Teens — Manage Behavior Problems, Reduce Screen Time & Improve Communication

If your child has ADHD or ADHD-like symptoms, you may feel like you are constantly managing meltdowns, screen battles, irritability, impulsivity, emotional explosions, or big reactions that seem to come out of nowhere.

But what if your child’s behavior is not only a discipline issue?

What if their behavior is also communication?

In this episode of the Single Parenting Reset Show, Tess Connolly, LCSW, talks with ADHD and nutrition expert Dana Kay about how gut health, inflammation, nutrition, sleep, screen time, and nervous system overload may affect ADHD behavior problems in kids.

Many parents are taught to look at ADHD behavior through the lens of discipline, motivation, or compliance.

But in this conversation, we look underneath the behavior.

Dana explains that a child’s nervous system may already be overloaded before the trigger happens. The iPad, homework, bedtime request, or morning routine may simply be the final stressor that causes the explosion.

We talk about why ADHD behavior can be connected to:

• Gut health
• Inflammation
• Poor sleep
• Blood sugar crashes
• Nutrition
• Sensory overload
• Screen time
• Nervous system dysregulation

This does not mean boundaries do not matter. They do.

But it does mean parents can begin asking a more helpful question:

What might my child’s behavior be trying to tell me?

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why behavior is communication, especially for kids with ADHD or ADHD-like symptoms
• How gut health, nutrition, sleep, and inflammation may influence mood, focus, and emotional regulation
• Why screen time can be so activating for children with ADHD
• How to create screen-free pockets without needing a dramatic screen ban
• Why protein at breakfast and balanced snacks may support steadier moods
• How movement, sleep, and connection can help regulate the nervous system
• Where overwhelmed parents can start when they cannot change everything at once

This episode is especially helpful if you are parenting a tween or teen who struggles with ADHD symptoms, emotional reactivity, screen transitions, poor frustration tolerance, or constant conflict at home.

Listen to this episode if you want a more compassionate and practical way to understand ADHD behavior problems in kids.

After listening, choose one small place to start:

• Add protein at breakfast
• Create a screen-free morning pocket
• Remove devices from bedrooms overnight
• Offer movement before screens after school
• Use a timer and clear screen transition plan
• Protect sleep
• Ask, “What might this behavior be communicating?”

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected] Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication

Single mom burnout is real, especially when you are raising tweens and teens through behavior problems, screen time battles, emotional ups and downs, curfews, money stress, and hard conversations that you may not feel ready to have.

When you are parenting alone, every decision can feel heavier. Every boundary can feel like a battle. And when your teen pushes back, it can be easy to wonder, “Am I doing this wrong?”

In this episode of the Single Parenting Reset Show, Tess Connolly, LCSW, is joined by life coach and fellow solo parent Carrie Spranzi for an honest conversation about single parenting, resilience, burnout, communication, and raising teens through difficult seasons.

Carrie shares her experience becoming a single mom at a young age, navigating financial stress, parenting through major life challenges, and learning how to stay connected with her son through honesty, trust, and open communication.

Together, Tess and Carrie talk about what it means to parent tweens and teens with both boundaries and humanity.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why single mom burnout often shows up during the tween and teen years
• How to stay grounded when your teen is pushing back
• Why trust-based boundaries can work better than constant control
• How to talk honestly with your teen about money, curfews, sex, safety, and real-life limits
• Why showing your humanity as a parent can actually strengthen your relationship
• How to build communication that lasts beyond the teen years

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that your teen does not need you to be perfect. They need you to be honest, steady, respectful, and willing to keep showing up.

If you are feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or unsure how to set boundaries with your tween or teen without constant conflict, this episode will help you reset.

Listen to the full episode, then take one small step this week:

• Choose one boundary that needs more clarity.
• Have one honest conversation instead of avoiding it.
• Let your teen know what you need while still communicating trust.
• Remind yourself that connection and leadership can exist at the same time.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected] Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication

If your teen's behavior has been pushing every button lately—attitude, eye rolling, lying, shutting down, refusing to help, or constant battles over screens—you are not alone. Many parents start to wonder if they've lost control, lost connection, or lost influence altogether. When these struggles happen day after day, it's easy to take them personally and feel exhausted.

This episode offers a different perspective: your teen's behavior matters, but it isn't the whole story. Behavior is often a signal of something deeper. When parents focus only on stopping the behavior, they can get trapped in a cycle of arguments, frustration, and disconnection. Instead, the key question becomes: What is this behavior trying to tell me, and what does my teen still need to learn?

To help parents break these patterns, the episode introduces a simple five-step framework.

First, pause before you correct. A regulated parent is far more effective than a reactive one. Even a single breath can change the direction of a conversation.

Next, observe the pattern. Many teen behaviors are predictable when you look closely at when and why they occur. Understanding the trigger often reveals a more effective solution than simply increasing consequences.

The third step is to connect before you correct. This doesn't mean lowering expectations or becoming permissive. It means leading with understanding so your teen is more likely to stay engaged in the conversation.

Once connection is established, set clear boundaries. Effective boundaries are calm, specific, and tied directly to the behavior rather than the teen's character. Consistency creates safety and predictability.

Finally, repair after conflict. Some of the most important growth happens after a blow-up. Repair teaches teens that relationships can survive mistakes, disagreements, and difficult emotions.

This week, choose one recurring conflict instead of trying to fix everything at once. Practice the framework:

Pause → Observe → Connect → Set the Boundary → Repair

Ask yourself:

• What is this behavior telling me?
• What does my teen need to learn?
• What boundary needs to be clearer?
• How can I stay connected while still leading?

If your family needs additional support with communication, behavior challenges, emotional regulation, school stress, or screen conflicts, consider scheduling a Parent Reset Strategy Session to create a personalized path forward.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected] Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication

Does every conversation with your teen seem to turn into an argument?

You ask about homework, and they snap back. You remind them about a chore, and they roll their eyes. You bring up the phone, the attitude, the curfew, or the messy room — and suddenly you are in another exhausting back-and-forth.

For single parents, this can feel especially draining because there often is not another adult there to step in. You are the one holding the boundary, absorbing the reaction, and trying to stay calm when your teen knows exactly how to push your buttons.

In this episode of The Single Parenting Reset Show, Tess Connolly, LCSW, shares how to stop arguing with a teen without becoming permissive, giving up on boundaries, or losing the relationship.

Teen arguing is often not just about the surface issue.

It is not only about the phone.

It is not only about the homework.

It is not only about the tone.

It is not only about the curfew.

Many times, the argument is about control, independence, respect, emotional regulation, and connection. Your teen is trying to become their own person, but they do not always have the maturity, impulse control, or communication skills to do that gracefully.

That is where your role as the parent, guide, and coach matters.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why your teen’s arguing is often developmental, not personal
• Why timing matters so much when you are trying to talk to your teen
• How to use connection before correction without giving up boundaries
• What to say when the argument starts escalating
• How to come back to hard conversations after everyone calms down
• Why validation does not mean agreement
• How to create a simple Family Communication Agreement with your teen

Tess also shares three practical tools you can start using this week:

1. The Pause Protocol — a way to stop the argument before it becomes a full-blown fight
2. The Two-Question Reset — two questions that help your teen reflect instead of defend
3. The Family Communication Agreement — a shared plan for how your family handles conflict, space, repair, and respect

The goal is not to avoid every hard conversation. The goal is to stay steady, hold the boundary, and keep coming back to connection.

After you listen, choose one tool to practice this week.

You might try saying:

“I care about this conversation too much to have it like this.”

Or:

“I’m not going to argue with you, but I am going to come back to this.”

Or:

“Help me understand what was going on for you earlier.”

You are not failing because your house gets loud sometimes. You are raising a tween or teen. There will be conflict, but there can also be repair.

And remember: the best parenting skill is already inside of you. It is the relationship you have with your child.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected] Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication

Summer can make screen time harder for families.

There is less school structure.

There is more downtime.

Kids may be home more.

Parents may be working.

And screens can quickly become the default activity.

In this episode, Tess Connolly, LCSW, talks about how to create screen time rules for kids in summer without turning the whole season into a power struggle.

This episode is for parents of kids, tweens, and teens who want a calmer, clearer screen time plan.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected] Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication

Does your teen’s attitude instantly pull you into a fight?

The eye rolls.

The sarcasm.

The “whatever.”

The rude tone.

The way one comment can shift the whole mood in your home.

If you are parenting a tween or teen, teen attitude problems can feel exhausting, disrespectful, and deeply personal.

In this episode of The Single Parenting Reset Show, Tess Connolly, LCSW, shares three practical parenting scripts for handling teen attitude without yelling, lecturing, or losing your cool.

This episode helps parents understand why teen attitude is often connected to emotional dysregulation, not just disrespect.

You’ll learn:

• What to say when your teen is sarcastic
• How to respond when your teen rolls their eyes or says “whatever”
• What to do when your teen snaps, yells, or shuts you out
• Why fewer words often work better with emotionally flooded teens
• How to hold a boundary without escalating the conflict
• Why emotional regulation parenting matters during the tween and teen years
• How to stay connected without letting disrespect take over the home

If this episode helped you, subscribe to The Single Parenting Reset Show and share it with another parent raising a tween or teenager.

If your family feels stuck in repetitive conflict cycles, Tess helps parents stay grounded, communicate more clearly, set calm boundaries, and rebuild connection with their tween or teen.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected] Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication

Your teen misses curfew. You take away the phone. They shrug.

Your tween talks back. You ground them. They say, “Whatever.”

You try to follow through, but nothing changes.

If consequences have stopped working with your teen, you are not alone—and it does not mean you are a bad parent.

In this episode of The Single Parenting Reset Show, Tess Connolly, LCSW, talks about why traditional consequences often stop working with tweens and teens, especially when those consequences are random, reactive, or disconnected from the behavior.

Instead of focusing on punishment, this episode gives parents a more effective way to respond: with empathy, clarity, consistency, natural consequences, logical consequences, choices, support, and connection.

You’ll learn how to:

• Respond with empathy before anger.
• Set clear expectations your teen can actually follow.
• Use natural consequences without rescuing or lecturing.
• Choose logical consequences that connect directly to the behavior.
• Offer choices within limits so your teen has buy-in.
• Notice what your teen is doing right, not only what they are doing wrong.
• Know when outside support may be needed.

This episode is especially helpful for single parents, co-parents, and parents of tweens and teens who feel stuck in repeated power struggles.

Listen now to learn what to do when consequences stop working with your teen—and how to rebuild communication, responsibility, and connection in your home.

And when you’re ready for more support, join the family through the link in the show notes or book a Parent Reset Strategy Session.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected] Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication

Do you feel like you repeat yourself all day long with your teenager?

In this episode, Tess Connolly, LCSW shares practical parenting scripts that help reduce power struggles and improve communication with tweens and teens.

You’ll learn:

• Why teens stop listening
• The exact words that lower resistance
• How to stop repeating yourself
• Why nervous system regulation matters in parenting
• Real examples for chores, homework, and screen time

Subscribe to The Parenting Reset Show and share this episode with another parent navigating the tween and teen years.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected] Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication

Do you ever feel stuck between being the "too soft" parent who gets walked all over and the "strict" one who yells and regrets it later?

Many single parents find themselves swinging between two extremes—permissive parenting that lacks boundaries and authoritarian parenting that shuts kids down. But what if there were a third way that builds trust, reduces screen-time struggles, and creates more peace at home?

• Why high empathy without structure can increase anxiety and fuel screen-time battles
• Why strict rules without connection can damage trust and cause kids to hide things from you
• How to step into "secure leadership" with practical scripts that help you set firm, respectful boundaries this week

If you're ready to stop yelling and start leading with calm confidence, press play on this episode and discover how to become a secure leader in your home today.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected] Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication

If your teen explodes over homework, screens, chores, tone of voice, or being told no, it can feel like you are living with constant tension. Teen anger issues are one of the most common concerns parents bring into coaching.

In this episode, Tess explains why teen anger is often a signal, not the real problem. You’ll learn what is happening in the teen brain, why lectures usually fail during emotional escalation, and how to respond without becoming permissive or reactive.

You’ll walk away with practical scripts for angry moments, a simple anger plan to use with your teen, and a calmer way to hold boundaries while protecting your relationship.

Share this episode with a parent who is navigating teen anger at home. To get support with your own family patterns, schedule a Parent Reset Strategy Session.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: [email protected] Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication