What’s Standing Between You and Your Teen?

What’s Standing Between You and Your Teen?

Author: Mark Gregston June 4, 2026 Duration: 26:36

Why do some parent-teen relationships slowly drift apart — even when both sides still care deeply? In this episode, Mark and Wayne unpack some of the biggest barriers that can damage connection with teens, including misunderstanding, overly strict rules, constant correction, unrealistic expectations and discipline without relationship. You’ll also hear Andrew’s story of anger, isolation, drug use and how finally understanding his father’s perspective began restoring their relationship. If you’ve felt stuck, frustrated or unsure how to reconnect, this conversation is for you.

Arguments with your teen are rarely as simple as they seem on the surface. Find five truths behind arguing with a teen and practical advice on how to successfully engage in conflict at bit.ly/five-truths-behind-arguing-with-a-teen


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
Is Your Teen Leading a Double Life? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:42
Listen today as Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd discuss how it’s normal for teens to act differently in different settings, but it becomes concerning when they hide behavior that violates their values or are falling apa…
Performance-Based Relationships [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:54
Today, Mark Gregston shares a devotional from Psalm 86:15, exploring how children can grow up believing love must be earned through performance. When parents unknowingly reinforce this, kids begin to fear that failure wi…
Teen Stories: Reckoning with Privilege [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:08
When teens seem demanding or expect the world handed to them, it's easy to chalk it up to “just being a teenager” — but there’s often more beneath the surface. Today, Mark talks with two more teens from Heartlight, both…
What Is Worth Fighting For? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:17
As kids enter the teen years, parents often spend so much time correcting behavior that they unintentionally crowd out connection. Constantly fighting about every issue can push teens away, exhaust parents and hinder the…
Giving Grace When Teens Make Mistakes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:16
In today's episode, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd discuss how parents will inevitably feel hurt or disappointed by their teen’s mistakes, but those moments are opportunities to show grace rather than withdraw. Grace m…
Wisdom Over Knowledge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:02
Listen in as Mark Gregston shares a devotional from the book of Proverbs, challenging parents to deepen their relationship with their teens. Mark reminds us that in a world where information is multiplying at an overwhel…
Teen Stories: Searching for Trust [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:07
For many families, the journey through the teen years is marked by trust that’s been damaged — and the hope for restoration. Today, Mark sits down with two young men at Heartlight who share candid stories about their str…

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