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:

  1. How to respond to mood swings and irritability with empathy while adjusting your parenting style.
  2. Why delaying phone use until high school helps protect your child’s mental health.
  3. 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.

👉Sign up for the next Tech Reset Masterclass here: https://mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/tech-reset-masterclass

⭐️Join MKF weekly Parenting Journal here: Mindful Kids and Families Journal

(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

Single Parenting Reset Show: For Solo Parents of Tweens and Teens — Manage Behavior Problems, Reduce Screen Time & Improve Communication
Podcast Episodes
185. Good Enough Parenting: Why Teens Don’t Need Perfect Parents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:08
Are you a single parent lying awake at night wondering, Am I messing up my kids? You’re not alone—and the truth is, perfect parenting doesn’t exist.Parenting tweens and teens as a single parent can feel overwhelming. Bet…
182. How to Reset Your Tween or Teen’s Routine for the School Year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:28
Struggling to get your tween or teen back on track before school starts? Late nights, nonstop screens, and zero structure don’t magically disappear when that alarm clock rings.In this episode, we dive into exactly how si…
181. Screen Time During the School Year: How Parents Can Set Limits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:41
Feeling anxious about screen time as school looms closer? Wondering how to avoid device drama without becoming the “bad guy”?In this practical and timely episode, we tackle the top screen-time challenges single parents f…
177. 5 Ways to Reduce Screen Time Without Fighting With Your Teen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:25
Tired of constant power struggles over phones, video games and tablets? Feel like your tween is slipping away behind a screen?If you are a single parent dealing with tech tantrums, disrespect, or that sinking feeling tha…
176. Teen Behavior Problems: Why Not Everything Is Trauma [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:27
Are we raising strong, resilient kids—or fragile ones who crumble under pressure?In today’s culture of over-pathologizing every discomfort as “trauma,” many well-meaning single moms are unknowingly disempowering their ch…