197. Tween Mood Swings and Screen Time: What Parents Should Know

197. Tween Mood Swings and Screen Time: What Parents Should Know

Author: Therese Connolly September 30, 2025 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 parents of tweens struggle with screen time, shifting boundaries, and figuring out how to stay connected while giving more independence. If you’ve ever felt stuck between being “too strict” or “too lenient,” this episode is for you.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

  • How to respond to mood swings and irritability with empathy while adjusting your parenting style.
  • Why delaying phone use until high school helps protect your child’s mental health.
  • The mindset shift that helps you move from manager to guide—while building trust and independence.

Press play now to learn how to reset your parenting approach for the middle school years and build stronger connections with your tween or teen.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️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 Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

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
268. Why Gentle Parenting Isn't Working (And What To Do Instead) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:24
Do you ever feel stuck between being the "too soft" parent who gets walked all over and the "strict" one who yells and regrets it later? Many single parents find themselves swinging between two extremes—permissive parent…
266. Digital Boundaries for Kids: Less Fighting, More Connection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:29
Are screen time conversations turning into constant battles in your home?In this episode, Tess Connolly, LCSW, talks about digital boundaries for kids and teens — and why clear, calm boundaries can reduce fighting and pr…
265. Why Taking the Phone Away Doesn’t Fix It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:30
Does your teen seem unable to put the phone down, even when they know they should?In this episode, Tess Connolly, LCSW, explains why phone limits matter, but why limits alone are often not enough to change the pattern. I…
264. Screen Time Family Rules That Actually Work [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:45
Are your screen time rules constantly turning into arguments, reminders, threats, or power struggles?In this episode, Tess Connolly, LCSW, explains why many screen time family rules fail and how to create rules that are…
263. Digital Addiction in Teens: What Parents Need to Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:03
Is your teen constantly on their phone, gaming late at night, scrolling endlessly, or melting down when you ask them to get off a screen?In this episode, Tess Connolly, LCSW, talks about digital addiction in teens in a p…
262. What Is Parent Coaching? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:22
Have you ever wondered what parent coaching actually is?Maybe you have heard the term but are not sure whether it is therapy, parenting advice, family coaching, or something else entirely.In this episode, Tess Connolly,…
261. Teen Communication Coaching: How to Get Your Teen Talking [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:58
Does your teen shut down, give one-word answers, snap back, or avoid hard conversations altogether?If so, the issue may not be that your teen does not care. They may not yet have the skills to communicate when they feel…
260. Teen Mental Health: What Parents Need to Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:49
Teen mental health struggles are rising fast — and many parents are seeing more anxiety, emotional shutdown, irritability, hopelessness, and overwhelm in their teens than ever before.According to the CDC’s 2024 Youth Ris…