275. Single mom burnout: how to stay grounded when your teen pushes every button

275. Single mom burnout: how to stay grounded when your teen pushes every button

Author: Therese Connolly July 1, 2026 Duration: 48:26

Single mom burnout is real, especially when you are raising tweens and teens through behavior problems, screen time battles, emotional ups and downs, curfews, money stress, and hard conversations that you may not feel ready to have.

When you are parenting alone, every decision can feel heavier. Every boundary can feel like a battle. And when your teen pushes back, it can be easy to wonder, “Am I doing this wrong?”

In this episode of the Single Parenting Reset Show, Tess Connolly, LCSW, is joined by life coach and fellow solo parent Carrie Spranzi for an honest conversation about single parenting, resilience, burnout, communication, and raising teens through difficult seasons.

Carrie shares her experience becoming a single mom at a young age, navigating financial stress, parenting through major life challenges, and learning how to stay connected with her son through honesty, trust, and open communication.

Together, Tess and Carrie talk about what it means to parent tweens and teens with both boundaries and humanity.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why single mom burnout often shows up during the tween and teen years
  • How to stay grounded when your teen is pushing back
  • Why trust-based boundaries can work better than constant control
  • How to talk honestly with your teen about money, curfews, sex, safety, and real-life limits
  • Why showing your humanity as a parent can actually strengthen your relationship
  • How to build communication that lasts beyond the teen years

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that your teen does not need you to be perfect. They need you to be honest, steady, respectful, and willing to keep showing up.

If you are feeling burned out, overwhelmed, or unsure how to set boundaries with your tween or teen without constant conflict, this episode will help you reset.

Listen to the full episode, then take one small step this week:

  • Choose one boundary that needs more clarity.
  • Have one honest conversation instead of avoiding it.
  • Let your teen know what you need while still communicating trust.
  • Remind yourself that connection and leadership can exist at the same time.

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📧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
294. What to Say When Your Teen Says, “You Can’t Make Me” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:39
Your teenager looks you in the eye and says:“You can’t make me.”Those four words can make a parent feel as though their authority is being tested—and that they need to win the moment immediately.But responding with “Oh,…
293. Disrespectful Teenager? What to Do Before You Give a Consequence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:08
Your teenager rolls their eyes, insults you, says “whatever,” or slams the door—and your entire body reacts.You immediately think:They cannot speak to me this way.So you take the phone, cancel the weekend, or announce a…
291. Teen Won’t Talk to You? How to Help Them Open Up Without Pushing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:45
Your teen comes home, closes their bedroom door, and gives you one-word answers.You ask how their day was.“Fine.”You ask whether anything happened.“No.”You ask if they are upset with you.“I don’t know. Can you please lea…
290. What to Say When Your Teen Says Vaping Is No Big Deal: 5 Scripts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:19
You find a vape in your teenager’s room, backpack, or pocket. When you ask about it, they shrug and say:“It’s not a big deal.”“Everyone does it.”“It’s only nicotine.”“I can stop whenever I want.”“You’re completely overre…