164. How to Set Boundaries With Tweens and Teens Without Taking the Phone Away

164. How to Set Boundaries With Tweens and Teens Without Taking the Phone Away

Author: Therese Connolly June 5, 2025 Duration: 32:05

Are you tired of repeating yourself 10 times just to get your kid to brush their teeth or put down the phone?

In this episode, parenting coach Tia Slightham joins Tess Connolly, LCSW, to break down the real reason your kids aren’t listening—and it’s not because they’re defiant. Whether you're parenting solo or just trying to reduce daily power struggles, this conversation offers practical, proven tools to create calm, cooperation, and connection.

Discover the 3-step boundary-setting method that helps kids actually follow through without constant nagging

Learn why switching just one word (from if to when) can transform your child's behavior

Understand the critical difference between punishment and discipline—and why most parents get it wrong

Press play now to learn how to stop repeating yourself and start parenting with purpose using tools that truly work—even for your strong-willed tween or teen.

If you’re feeling burnt out, weighed down by guilt, and wishing there was a way to parent with more peace, more patience, and more connection…

you’re not alone, and it’s not your fault.

You’ve simply been missing the right strategy.

That’s exactly why I want to give you two powerful tools: that have helped over 10,000 parents overcome this

First, you’ll get my 5 ingredient, “Golden Time Guide."

This simple daily plan helps you meet your child’s emotional needs in just 10 minutes a day—so you can break the cycles of nagging, yelling and power struggles. Learn to create a strong connection with your kids all with cooperation and calmness in your home.

Second, I’m offering you a private "Parenting Breakthrough Session."

This is a 50-minute 1:1 call where we’ll take a close look at where you're feeling stuck, uncover the real reasons behind the challenges you’re facing, and create a personalized action plan to help you shift from surviving to thriving.

And during this session, I’ll also walk you through a game changing tool which is inside my Parenting with Purpose Method—the same framework that’s helped thousands of parents break old cycles and build homes full of respect, connection, and confidence.

If you’re ready to stop struggling and start seeing real change, I would love to support you.

To get both the Golden Time Guide and your Parenting Breakthrough Session, just head over to Instagram (@tiaparentingcoach) and DM me the word "RESET"

One more time—just send me the word "RESET" on Instagram @tiaparentingcoach, and I’ll personally get everything over to you.

Find out more about Tia Slightham here 👉 www.tiaslightham.com

📧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

Single Parenting Reset Show: For Solo Parents of Tweens and Teens — Manage Behavior Problems, Reduce Screen Time & Improve Communication
Podcast Episodes
216. 8 Discipline Mistakes Parents Make With Teens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:33
Ever feel like your teen just shrugs off every consequence you give—curfew blown, phone gone, and they still say "whatever"?If you’re a parent stuck in a loop of threats, punishments, and zero results, this episode will…
215. Entitled Teen Behavior: 5 Signs Parents Should Watch For [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:50
Ever feel like your teen expects VIP treatment 24/7 — instant rides, new phones, last-minute rescues — and flips out when you say no?You’re not alone. Many parents, especially single parents, are seeing more entitled beh…
211. Teen Vaping: What Parents Should Do When They Catch It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:23
Is your teen insisting “it’s not a problem” even though you’ve seen air fresheners, eye drops, or sudden “new friends”…and you suspect vaping?In this episode, Tess and Gigi walk through what actually works when you think…
210. Arguments With Teens: How Single Parents Can Defuse Conflict [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:33
Ever feel like every conversation with your teen turns into an argument — and you're both left frustrated and unheard?You're not alone — but there's a smarter way to navigate these tense moments. In this episode, Tess Co…
209. Hidden Teen Vaping: Signs Parents Often Miss [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:37
Do you ever wonder if your teen might be vaping—but can’t tell if you’re just being paranoid?With vaping devices disguised as everyday objects and flavored cartridges designed to appeal to teens, it’s getting harder for…
208. Letting Teens Set Screen Time Limits: Does It Work? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:45
Is your teen glued to their phone — and every screen time rule you try only leads to arguments and frustration?If you’ve ever wondered whether giving your teenager more control over their own device use is risky or wise,…