253. Help With Teen Behavior Problems: What to Do When Your Teen Lies, Pushes Back, or Shuts Down

253. Help With Teen Behavior Problems: What to Do When Your Teen Lies, Pushes Back, or Shuts Down

Author: Therese Connolly April 14, 2026 Duration: 14:50

Is your teen lying, talking back, shutting down, or making choices that leave you feeling scared, frustrated, or unsure of what to do next?

If so, you are not alone.

Teen behavior problems can feel overwhelming, especially when you are trying so hard to stay connected while also setting limits and hold your ground.

In this episode, Tess talks about some of the most common teen behavior problems parents face right now and how to respond in a way that is calm, clear, and effective.

What looks like “bad behavior” on the surface is often a signal that something deeper is going on underneath.

Your teen may be dealing with stress, shame, anxiety, peer pressure, overwhelm, or a need for control, and that often comes out through behaviors like:

  • lying
  • disrespect
  • sneaking and secrecy
  • vaping, drinking, or substance use
  • anger, explosive reactions, or shutting down

Tess walks you through how to look at these behaviors differently so you can respond with both connection and structure.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • why teen behavior problems are often communication, not just defiance
  • the top 5 behavior issues parents are struggling with most
  • what to say and do when your teen lies, pushes back, shuts down, or breaks trust
  • how to stay grounded without becoming harsh or losing connection
  • why your relationship with your teen still matters, even when behavior needs to be addressed directly

You’ll leave this episode feeling more empowered, more clear, and more confident in how to help your teen through difficult behavior without getting pulled into constant power struggles.

If this episode spoke to you, make sure you join the family so you don’t miss future episodes, parenting support, and practical tools for raising tweens and teens with more connection and less conflict.

And if you know another parent who is dealing with teen behavior problems right now, send this episode their way.

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⭐️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: 50

Single Parenting Reset Show: For Solo Parents of Tweens and Teens — Manage Behavior Problems, Reduce Screen Time & Improve Communication
Podcast Episodes
286. Teen Won’t Go to School? What to Say That Morning [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:51
Your teen looks at you and says:“I’m not going to school.”Before you argue, lecture, threaten consequences, or immediately agree to let them stay home, pause.What you say next can either increase the power struggle—or he…
284. Teen Lying: What To Say When They Deny Or Blame [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:57
What do you say when your teen looks you in the eye and denies something you feel almost certain happened?What if they blame a friend, a sibling, a teacher, or their other parent?When you believe your teenager is lying,…
283. Teen Lying: What to Do and How to Rebuild Trust [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:35
Has your teen ever looked you directly in the eye and told you something you knew was not true?Teen lying can make you question more than the story your teen is telling you. It can make you question your relationship, yo…
280. What to Do When Your Teen Breaks Screen Time Rules [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:01
You created the rule.You explained the reason.Your teen may have even agreed to it.But now they are still scrolling after bedtime, refusing to stop gaming, bypassing parental controls, or sneaking the phone back into the…
278. How to Limit Screen Time for Teenagers Without Constant Fights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:19
Is screen time the battle that keeps showing up in your home?Maybe your teen is on their phone late at night. Maybe gaming turns into an argument every time you ask them to stop. Maybe social media, YouTube, texting, or…
277. How to Limit Screen Time for Tweens Without Daily Battles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:55
Is screen time already becoming a daily battle in your home?If your 10-, 11-, or 12-year-old argues every time screens end, asks constantly for more time, sneaks devices, or says “everyone else gets to,” you are not alon…