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.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

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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
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…