172. Why Parents and Teens Keep Having the Same Arguments

172. Why Parents and Teens Keep Having the Same Arguments

Author: Therese Connolly July 3, 2025 Duration: 44:17

Are you a single parent stuck in the same exhausting conflict loop with your tween or teen? Do your arguments feel repetitive, emotional, and hard to solve—no matter how many times you talk it through?

You’re not alone—and there may be deeper reasons behind it than you think.

In this episode of Single Parenting Reset, Tess Connolly, LCSW, sits down with licensed mental health counselor and anxiety treatment specialist Justine Carino, host of Thoughts from the Couch. Together, they dive into the often-overlooked family roles that shape teen behavior and communication—especially within single-parent households.

You’ll learn how the dynamics from your family of origin may be showing up in your parenting style—and how your teen might be unconsciously taking on roles like the rebel, the golden child, or the peacemaker to keep emotional balance in the home.

This conversation will help you:

  1. Understand the deeper emotional patterns behind your teen’s behavior
  2. Recognize how your own upbringing influences your parenting
  3. Identify when your child is stuck in an unhealthy role—and how to shift it
  4. Let go of guilt and reset old family dynamics
  5. Improve communication, reduce behavior problems, and build a stronger connection

This episode is a must-listen for single parents navigating communication struggles, screen time issues, and behavior challenges with their tweens and teens.

🎧 Tune in now to learn how to stop repeating the same arguments and start parenting from a more grounded, intentional place.

🌐 Learn more about Justine Carino at www.carinocounseling.com

🎙️ Check out her podcast: Thoughts from the Couch

📧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,…