How to Get Your Teen to Actually Listen

How to Get Your Teen to Actually Listen

Author: Mark Gregston May 7, 2026 Duration: 27:16

Do your conversations with your teen turn into debates, shutdowns or eye rolls? In this episode, Mark, Wayne and Heartlight Counselor Courtney LaFleur explore why teens often resist opinions, but still deeply need your wisdom. Learn how to replace lectures with perspective, listen in ways that draw your teen out, and use your life experiences to guide rather than control. You’ll also hear a powerful student story of healing, growth and the kind of communication that rebuilds trust. Because when teens feel understood, they’re far more willing to hear you.

Get tips to becoming the listener your teen needs at bit.ly/listen-to-your-teen

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.


Raising a teenager can feel like navigating uncharted territory every single day. Parenting Today's Teens is here to walk that path with you, offering a steady voice amid the chaos. Mark Gregston brings more than four decades of direct experience working with families to each conversation, translating complex adolescent behaviors into understandable insights. You’ll hear honest discussions about defiance, screen time, emotional withdrawal, and the search for identity, all framed with a perspective that is both pragmatic and hopeful. This isn’t about quick fixes or perfect formulas; it’s about building a lasting, authentic connection with your teen even when it’s difficult. Mark’s approach is grounded in real-world application, offering strategies you can consider and adapt the very same day. The podcast draws from a well of wisdom that respects the spiritual and personal growth of the entire family, recognizing that parenting a teen often means revisiting your own beliefs and reactions. Tune in for a resource that feels like a thoughtful conversation with a trusted guide, one that acknowledges the struggles while consistently pointing toward practical solutions and renewed understanding for the modern parent.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Parenting Today's Teens
Podcast Episodes
Shut Your Mouth, Open Your Ears [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:15
In this episode, Mark and Wayne discuss one of the most overlooked parenting tools: listening. They explore why teens often tune out when parents talk too much, how today’s digital world has transformed family communicat…
Understanding the ‘Why’ Behind Teen Outbursts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:52
Every parent is bound to face a moment when their teen’s anger seems to explode out of nowhere. But as Mark explains in today’s episode, there’s always more beneath the surface. Whether it’s a struggle for control, a res…
Teen Stories: Finding Yourself Again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:01
What happens when your life starts to spiral and you lose sight of who you are? For many teens, struggles with identity, relationships and loss can lead them down difficult paths. In today's show, Mark sits down with two…
Rescuing or Preparing: Are You Robbing Your Teen? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:47
In this episode, Mark and Wayne tackle the hard truth of “rescuing” teens from life’s painful moments and why this well-intentioned instinct can actually do more harm than good. Through real-life examples and candid disc…
9 Things Boomers Do to Drive Away Their Children & Grandkids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:09
It’s easy to fall into the trap of criticizing “kids these days.” But how you view the younger generation will shape the kind of relationship you have with them. In this episode, Mark and Wayne are joined by Heartlight C…
When Your Child's Choices Hurt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:46
In this episode, Mark shares a deeply personal devotional about the challenges parents face when their teens make decisions that go against family values or wound their hearts. Mark explores how parents can maintain mean…
Teen Stories: Looking For Answers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:31
Most struggling teens hold a story inside their hearts: a story of searching, hurt and hope. In today’s episode, Mark sits down with two Heartlight teens who open up about their personal battles with loneliness, depressi…
Decisions That Shape Generations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:55
In this episode, Mark and Wayne talk about the profound impact that tough parenting decisions can have on a family's future. Through personal stories — including Mark's life-saving decision for his daughter decades ago —…