159. Unlocking Purpose: How to Help Your Tween or Teen Discover Direction and Meaning

159. Unlocking Purpose: How to Help Your Tween or Teen Discover Direction and Meaning

Author: Therese Connolly April 22, 2025 Duration: 40:32
Single Parenting Reset Show: For Solo Parents of Tweens and Teens — Manage Behavior Problems, Reduce Screen Time & Improve Communication
KidsKids & FamilyEducationFamilyHow ToParenting

In this episode of The Parenting Reset Show, Tess Connolly, LCSW, sits down with teen coach and educator Will Kirsop to talk about something every parent wants for their teen: a sense of direction and purpose.

 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

   •   Why purpose matters for your teen’s mental health, motivation, and academic success.

   •   How a clear sense of purpose can help reduce stress, anxiety, and disconnection.

   •   A powerful tool called “Life Crafting”—and how it can guide your teen toward meaningful goals.

   •   How to use Appreciative Inquiry to spark deep, positive conversations with your tween or teen.

   •   Why open communication, compassion, and curiosity are key when parenting through this stage.

   •   How to support your teen’s transition to independence with confidence and clarity.

 This episode gives parents practical tools and science-backed strategies to help their teens feel more connected, focused, and hopeful about their future.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage

02:25 Understanding Purpose in Teen Development

09:45 The Role of Appreciative Inquiry

13:52 Practical Strategies for Parents

20:08 Fostering Purpose for Academic and Mental Health Benefits

21:32 The Importance of Purpose in Teen Development

24:36 Life Crafting: A Pathway to Meaningful Goals

27:17 Navigating Career Choices and Future Planning

30:59 Challenges of Transitioning to Independence

33:52 The Role of Compassion in Parenting

40:44 Gratitude and Reflection in Coaching

Find out more about Will Kirsop here 👉Many Roads | Teen Coaching

⭐Got screen time problems at home, get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Mindful Kids and Families

⭐️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👇: therese@mindfulkidsandfamilies.com  Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

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

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Mindful Kids and Families

⭐️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)

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


Navigating the tween and teen years alone comes with a unique set of daily tests, from managing defiance to negotiating screen time in a connected world. Single Parenting Reset Show: For Solo Parents of Tweens and Teens is here for that journey. Hosted by Therese Connolly, a licensed clinical social worker and family coach, this podcast moves beyond theory to offer actionable steps you can use immediately. Therese draws on both professional expertise and a genuine understanding of the solo parent reality, where you’re the only one setting boundaries and mending fences. Conversations focus on turning behavioral challenges into opportunities for growth, finding realistic ways to pull kids from their devices, and fostering a home where communication actually works. You’ll hear strategies for building your own confidence as a parent while strengthening your family’s connections, all without the sugar-coating. This is a space for single moms and dads seeking real-life support, where every episode aims to provide a practical reset for the week ahead. Tune in for a blend of compassionate guidance and concrete tools designed specifically for the solo parent raising adolescents.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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Single Parenting Reset Show: For Solo Parents of Tweens and Teens — Manage Behavior Problems, Reduce Screen Time & Improve Communication
Podcast Episodes
205. How Much Screen Time Should Kids and Teens Really Have? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Do you ever wonder exactly how much screen time is too much for your tween or teen — and how to actually make limits stick without daily battles?As a single parent, it can feel impossible to manage phones, tablets, and g…
203. How to Reconnect With Your Teen Without Forcing Conversations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Do you feel like your - once close relationship with your teen is slipping away - and no matter what you try, the distance just grows.You're not alone. Especially for single parents of tweens and teens, the shift between…
202. Screen Time and Teen Anxiety: What Parents Need to Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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200. Screen Time Limits for Kids: Why They Don’t Work Alone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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199. Parenting a Child With ADHD: Practical Strategies That Help [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Are you a single parent trying to figure out whether your child’s struggles with focus, emotions, or school might be ADHD — and how to truly help them thrive?In this insightful episode, host Tess Connolly, LCSW, sits dow…
198. How to Set Boundaries With Tweens and Teens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:33
Do you ever feel like setting boundaries with your teen just leads to endless conflict—or worse, silence?Parenting teens is tough because adolescence brings rapid changes in emotions, thinking, and independence. Many par…
197. Tween Mood Swings and Screen Time: What Parents Should Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:31
Is your middle schooler’s mood swings, tech obsession, or growing independence leaving you unsure how to parent them?The middle school years bring huge developmental changes—emotionally, socially, and cognitively. Many p…

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