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.

⭐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)

📧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 👉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)

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
234. Gentle Parenting With Teens: Why Boundaries Still Matter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:13
Is your teen pulling away—and every time you try to connect, it only seems to push them further?If you’re a single parent feeling lost in the silence or fearing the distance means you're failing, this episode will refram…
231. Triggered by Your Teen? How Parents Can Stay Calm During Conflict [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:04
Ever feel like your teen’s screen time habits, bad attitude, or boundary-pushing behaviors are personally attacking your sanity?If you’re a single parent raising a tween or teen, you already know how quickly everyday str…
230. Social Media and Teen Behavior: What Parents Need to Know [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:30
Are you tired of the constant battles with your teen over screen time—wondering why they just won’t put the phone down?In this eye-opening episode, Tess Connolly, LCSW, explains how your teen’s addiction to scrolling isn…
228.  Struggling With Your Teen Right Now? How to Reconnect [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:59
Are you stuck in constant battles over screen time, routines, and emotional blowups with your tween or teen—and wondering why everything feels harder lately?You're not imagining it. Research shows that high screen time i…
227. 5 Ways to Build Emotional Resilience in Teens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:27
Does every conversation with your tween turn into a power struggle, especially around screen time? You’re not alone—and this episode reveals what’s really going on beneath the pushback.If you’re a single parent dealing w…
226. Your Teen Is Pulling Away: What Parents Should Do [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:39
Is your teen pulling away, spending more time alone, and talking less — leaving you wondering if you’re losing them?If you're a parent watching your teen go quiet or withdraw, it’s easy to panic. But this stage — while s…