The Pat Kenny Show The psychology of parenting older teens
Nov 25, 2025
Stephanie Regan, a clinical psychotherapist and co-host of the Tough Love podcast, dives into the intricate world of parenting older teens. She highlights the shift in family dynamics as teenagers seek more freedom while still needing guidance. Regan emphasizes the importance of maintaining warmth and connection, understanding typical teen moods, and collaboratively setting boundaries around technology. She also discusses the art of timing conversations and cautions against projecting parental fears onto kids, offering insights into fostering independence.
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Warmth Shapes Lifelong Bonds
- Parents must keep warmth and faith in their teenager even when the teen is difficult or nasty.
- Continued parental warmth strongly shapes future parent-child relationships into adulthood.
Shift From Supervision To Advisory
- Transition parenting from supervision to advisory as teens gain capacity and freedom.
- Increase autonomy gradually while scaffolding decision-making and responsibility.
Grunts Reflect Developmental Strain
- Teen rudeness and moodiness often reflect internal developmental tasks, tiredness, and hormonal changes.
- Parents should step past grunts and focus on issues they can influence with compassion.