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Parenting Today’s Teens — Kids & Family
Parenting Today’s Teens

The Parenting Today’s Teens Podcast is a daily resource for parents raising teenagers. Hosted by Mark Gregston, a renowned parenting expert with over 45 years of experience, this podcast provides practical, expert advice for navigating the challenges of parenting teens. Whether you’re struggling with defiance, emotional issues, or just want to understand your teen better, Mark’s guidance is raw, real, and always hopeful.

Some episodes are co-hosted by Courtney LaFleur, LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) and on-staff counselor at Heartlight, adding professional counseling insights to the conversation. Together, Mark and Courtney provide expert tips and real-life solutions to help you build stronger relationships with your teen and navigate the complexities of today’s adolescent culture.

If you’re looking for guidance on how to connect with your teen, improve family dynamics, and raise a confident, well-adjusted teen, this podcast is for you.

For more parenting tools and expert advice, visit www.ParentingTodaysTeens.org.

Copyright: © Mark Gregston

Latest Episodes:

Giving Grace When Teens Make Mistakes Jan 22, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd discuss how parents will inevitably feel hurt or disappointed by their teen’s mistakes, but those moments are opportunities to show grace rather than withdraw. Grace means moving toward teens when they fail — allowing consequences to stand while affirming that love and relationship remain secure. Teens need to know their parents’ love is not performance-based and does not diminish when they make poor choices. When parents respond this way, they reflect God’s unconditional love and create the safety teens need to learn, grow and change.

Parents, is your teen struggling? Check out our Families in Crisis Conferences! Visit familycrisisretreat.com to learn more and register.

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

Wisdom Over Knowledge Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

Listen in as Mark Gregston shares a devotional from the book of Proverbs, challenging parents to deepen their relationship with their teens. Mark reminds us that in a world where information is multiplying at an overwhelming pace, teens aren’t looking for more facts — they’re searching for wisdom. Proverbs 3 reminds us that wisdom brings peace, purpose and understanding that no amount of information can replace. As children move into adolescence, parents must shift from simply teaching information to sharing lived experience, perspective and discernment. When parents become trusted sources of wisdom rather than constant lecturers, relationships deepen and teens are better equipped to apply truth in a noisy, complex world.

To explore all of Mark's resources and events designed to support you as you raise your teens, please visit parentingtodaysteens.org.

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

Teen Stories: Searching for Trust Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

For many families, the journey through the teen years is marked by trust that’s been damaged — and the hope for restoration. Today, Mark sits down with two young men at Heartlight who share candid stories about their struggles with boundaries, addiction and feeling misunderstood at home. Both students open up about the hard work required to rebuild trust with their parents and themselves, finding that honesty and patience are essential for real change. Tune in to hear how these teens are learning to move forward — one step at a time.

Is your family struggling? Heartlight may be able to help. Go to heartlightministries.org to learn more!

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

Grandparents Are a Gift Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

Today, Mark Gregston, Wayne Shepherd and Courtney Lafleur discuss the irreplaceable role grandparents play in the lives of their teenage grandchildren. Mark reminds grandparents that staying connected requires intentional effort and flexibility as grandchildren grow and the relationship changes — but their need for loving, steady grandparents is greater than ever. By listening more, meeting teens where they are and offering unconditional love rather than constant advice, grandparents can remain a place of rest and wisdom. Your presence and genuine interest can leave a lasting legacy that shapes your grandchildren long after the teen years pass.

If your family is struggling, we encourage you to join Mark in Texas at one of his Families in Crisis Conferences. Learn more at parentingtodaysteens.org/families-in-crisis-conference

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

I Mustache Mark a Question: Discipline, Divorce and the Digital Age Jan 16, 2026

Show notes

In today's episode, Mark tackles some more challenging questions parents are facing with their teenagers today. From motivating a checked-out high school senior to navigating differences in parenting styles, he shares practical wisdom and heartfelt advice. He also addresses sensitive topics like fractured relationships after divorce, concerns about teen identity in the age of social media and the struggles teens face in maintaining friendships. Whether your teen is questioning their faith, searching for identity or you’re simply seeking connection in a complicated world, this episode is packed with strategies and hope for the journey ahead.

Have a question for Mark? We'd love to hear it! Send in your questions at markgregston.com.

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

Types of Parenting That Will Push Teens Away Jan 15, 2026

Show notes

Parents often unintentionally push their teens away by demanding perfection, forcing authority or coming across as judgmental. In this episode, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd explain that while parents still hold authority, it’s HOW that authority is expressed that determines whether teens feel drawn in or shut down. Mark emphasizes that teens change through relationship — not control — and that sharing our own imperfections builds trust and connection. The goal during adolescence is to communicate truth with grace, so the relationship stays stronger than the rules.

Heartlight Ministries is Mark's residential counseling ministry for struggling teens and their families. Learn more by visiting heartlightministries.org

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

When a Once-Close Relationship Feels Distant Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

Today, Mark Gregston shares a personal devotional from Romans 16:17. Listen as he discusses what to do when a once-close relationship with your child becomes distant during the teen years. Mark encourages parents not to lose hope, but to recognize that old parenting tools may need to be expanded with new ones that foster trust, connection and understanding. Teens need their parents now more than ever to provide wisdom, stability and a place of rest in an overwhelming world.

If you are struggling with your teen, visit parentingtodaysteens.org to explore all of our parenting resources!

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

Teen Stories: Learning to Cope Without Drugs Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

What happens when teens turn to drugs to cope with struggles that feel too heavy to bear? Many young people use substances as a way to escape feelings of hurt, isolation or confusion. In today’s episode, Mark Gregston talks with two Heartlight teens whose struggles reveal how common it is for teens to use drugs to numb emotional pain. For 17-year-old Gabe, social isolation and family conflict drove him toward addiction — but today, he's on a journey of recovery, learning healthier ways to face life's challenges. Listen in for real stories, heartfelt advice and hope for families walking through similar battles.

Is Heartlight the right choice for your struggling teen? Go to heartlightministries.org to learn more!

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

Dating and Your Teen Jan 12, 2026

Show notes

Today, Mark Gregston and Wayne Shepherd encourage parents to view teen dating as a training ground, not just something to restrict or fear. Mark emphasizes that healthy, age-appropriate dating — guided by clear expectations and strong communication — can help teens learn respect, boundaries and what godly relationships look like. Not every relationship with the opposite sex has to be sexual, and parents play a key role by modeling healthy marriages and staying engaged with their teen. When handled well, dating can help teens grow toward wisdom and future commitment.

Mark has designed many different resources to help you as you navigate parenting. To explore his podcasts, blogs, books, conferences and more, please visit parentingtodaysteens.org

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

I Mustache Mark a Question: Bullying, Beliefs and Battling Teen Angst Jan 09, 2026

Show notes

Today, Mark tackles real questions from parents who are in the trenches with their teens. From navigating the challenges of adoption with children who have struggled for years, to conversations around sexuality, substance use and the whirlwind of teen relationships, this episode dives deep into the tough scenarios so many families face. Mark offers practical wisdom and heartfelt encouragement for building stronger relationships with your teens — even when times are hard.

Have a parenting problem you just can't solve? Ask Mark! Send in your questions at markgregston.com

Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

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