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
274. Teen Behavior Problems: What Parents Should Do First [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:53
If your teen's behavior has been pushing every button lately—attitude, eye rolling, lying, shutting down, refusing to help, or constant battles over screens—you are not alone. Many parents start to wonder if they've lost…
273. How to Stop Arguing With a Teen Without Losing Connection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:24
Does every conversation with your teen seem to turn into an argument?You ask about homework, and they snap back. You remind them about a chore, and they roll their eyes. You bring up the phone, the attitude, the curfew,…
271. 3 Scripts to Handle Teen Attitude Without Losing Your Cool [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:21
Does your teen’s attitude instantly pull you into a fight?The eye rolls.The sarcasm.The “whatever.”The rude tone.The way one comment can shift the whole mood in your home.If you are parenting a tween or teen, teen attitu…
270. When Consequences Stop Working With Your Teen: What to Do Instead [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:33
Your teen misses curfew. You take away the phone. They shrug.Your tween talks back. You ground them. They say, “Whatever.”You try to follow through, but nothing changes.If consequences have stopped working with your teen…
269.  The Exact Words to Say When Your Teenager Refuses to Listen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:09
Do you feel like you repeat yourself all day long with your teenager?In this episode, Tess Connolly, LCSW shares practical parenting scripts that help reduce power struggles and improve communication with tweens and teen…
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 parenti…