Connect With Your Teens | Conversation Starters, Parenting Tips, Screen Time, Build Connection, Communication Skills

90 | Why Your Teen Misunderstands Your Good Intentions

You love your teen and want the very best for them. So why do your conversations sometimes leave them feeling criticized, controlled, or misunderstood when your heart was trying to encourage, protect, and help? Terri shares a powerful coaching story that reveals one of the biggest communication blind spots in parenting teens: the gap between our intentions and our teen’s experience. You’ll discover why your teen may react differently than you expect, how one simple perspective shift can strengthen communication with your teen, and a practical way to build trust with your teen while creating a deeper, lasting connection. If you’ve ever walked away from a conversation thinking, “That isn’t what I meant,” this episode is for you. I pray it's a blessing to you and your family! ✨Ready for personalized support? If you find yourself replaying conversations, wondering what went wrong, or wishing you knew how to respond differently, I’d love to help. In a 1:1 Communication Coaching Call, we’ll identify what’s creating distance, strengthen your communication, and create a personalized plan to help you build lasting connection and trust with your child. 👉https://connectwithyourteens.com/communication-coaching [https://connectwithyourteens.com/communication-coaching] 💌Want weekly encouragement straight to your in box? Become a Connect With Your Teens Insider for weekly parenting tips, encouragement, and support straight to your inbox Weekly Insider Newsletter [https://connectwithyourteens.com/insider-newsletter-connect-with-your-teens] 🤍Looking for a safe, faith-based community of moms who get it?  Come join us inside the How To Connect With Your Teens Facebook group—we’re waiting to welcome you: Connect With Your Teens Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectwithyourteens] 📖Need a place to start?  Download my Building Connection Beyond Screen Time: A Quick Guide for Moms to help you build trust with your teen, strengthen communication, and create more meaningful everyday conversations. 👉https://connectwithyourteens.com/build-connection-screentime [https://connectwithyourteens.com/build-connection-screentime] 💛 Interested in ongoing support?  Join my free monthly support group for moms of teens — a safe, faith-led space for guidance, connection, and encouragement.  Learn more here: https://connectwithyourteens.com/supportgroup [https://connectwithyourteens.com/supportgroup] 🎧Would you like inspiring worship music to anchor you in your journey? This is a collection of songs that have brought me peace and helped me anchor my heart in Christ. You can go straight to this link to get my Anchoring Spotify Playlist (no sign up required): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0pmOIQvAH6dibMmAxQzbGf?si=WZ8bE23YQfWdY5lbBM_2pA&nd=1&dlsi=e9c329d0073a4b3b [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0pmOIQvAH6dibMmAxQzbGf?si=WZ8bE23YQfWdY5lbBM_2pA&nd=1&dlsi=e9c329d0073a4b3b] ✨Follow or DM Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terricommunicationcoach [https://www.instagram.com/terricommunicationcoach] ✨Contact: support@connectwithyourteens.com [support@connectwithyourteens.com] Related Episodes: 5 - From 'It's Too Late To Fix This' To Having Real Conversations With Your Teen [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000717817445] 13 - The Secret to Effortless Connection With Your Teen (And How to Break the Hidden Barrier) [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000721978200] 32 - Beyond the Eye Roll: 3 Steps to Reach Your Teen's Heart [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000733234224]

89 | Your Teen Says, “You Don’t Understand.” Here’s What They’re Really Asking For.

What if one of the most frustrating things your teen says is actually an invitation… not a rejection? If you’ve ever heard, “You don’t understand,” this episode may completely change how you hear those words. If your teen has ever said, “You don’t understand,” or shut down when you were trying your best to connect, this episode is for you. Sometimes the biggest breakthrough in teen communication isn’t finding the perfect words—it’s learning what your teen may really be asking for underneath the words they’re saying. In this episode, I’ll help you see those frustrating conversations through a different lens so you can respond in a way that helps build connection, build trust, and create greater emotional safety in your relationship. You'll Learn: * Why “You don’t understand” usually means something deeper * One simple communication shift that can completely change the direction of a conversation * How to use practical communication skills that help your teen feel heard * Why understanding comes before influence in healthy family communication * How small moments of connection today can strengthen your relationship for years to come As followers of Christ, we’re called to listen with humility and value others above ourselves. When we choose to understand our teen before asking them to understand us, we begin reflecting the heart of Jesus—and that’s often where healing, trust, and connection begin. 📩 Want more encouragement and practical tools each week? Become a Connect With Your Teens Insider for Christ-centered encouragement, communication tips, podcast updates, and practical ways to strengthen your relationship with your teen.  👉Join here: Weekly Insider Newsletter [https://connectwithyourteens.com/insider-newsletter-connect-with-your-teens] More Resources: ✨ Want to work 1:1 with me? Book a 60-Minute Communication Coaching Call. Together, we’ll identify what’s getting in the way of connection with your teen, uncover practical next steps, and create a clear plan so you can stop feeling stuck and start rebuilding trust and connection. 👉Learn More: https://connectwithyourteens.com/1-hour-communicationcoaching [https://connectwithyourteens.com/1-hour-communicationcoaching] 🤍Looking for a safe, faith-based community of moms who get it? Come join us inside the How To Connect With Your Teens Facebook group—we’re waiting to welcome you: Connect With Your Teens Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectwithyourteens] ✨Follow or DM Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terricommunicationcoach [https://www.instagram.com/terricommunicationcoach] ✨Contact: support@connectwithyourteens.com [support@connectwithyourteens.com] 💬 If this podcast has encouraged or helped you share it with a friend and take 30  seconds to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your review helps more moms see the podcast and get support.  Click here to review on Apple. [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296]  Click here to review on Spotify. [https://open.spotify.com/show/6XBvVI26Uuut4eWsG73VAW?si=YQIeVkzzTNWL8kdlb6CDDg&utm_source=copy-link] Related Episodes: 32 | Beyond the Eye Roll: 3 Steps to Reach Your Teen's Heart [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000733234224] 64 | Stop Arguing With Your Teen: Let Them Have Their Perspective [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000760036568] 77 | Why Your Teen Doesn’t Need to Change First to Build Connection [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000770822990]

88 | The 4-Step Conversation That Helps Your Teen Feel Heard

Have you found yourself replaying the conversation with your teen over and over, wondering what you could have said differently? The truth is, helping your teen feel heard isn’t about having the perfect words. It’s about creating the kind of conversation where they feel safe enough to share what’s really on their heart. When teens feel heard, trust begins to grow—and where trust grows, connection and influence often follow. In this episode, I’ll share a simple four-step conversation you can begin using today to strengthen your relationship with your teen, improve your communication skills, and build trust one conversation at a time. You’ll Learn: * Why listening builds trust more effectively than rushing to solve the problem * What Jesus modeled on the road to Emmaus that can transform your communication with your teen * A practical way to build connection during everyday conversations * The four-step conversation that helps your teen feel heard * How helping your teen feel understood often leads to deeper, more meaningful conversations As we look at the way Jesus walked alongside the disciples on the road to Emmaus, you’ll be encouraged to slow down, listen well, and trust that God can use your faithful presence to prepare your teen’s heart in ways you may not see right away. Still replaying conversations in your mind? Wondering what to say or how to respond differently in your unique situation? 🎉 To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Connect With Your Teens podcast, I’m offering a special anniversary rate on my 1:1 Communication Coaching Call through Sunday at midnight! If you’d love personalized guidance, practical Christ-centered communication tools, and a clear plan to help you reconnect with your teen, I’d be honored to walk alongside you. 👉 Reserve your coaching call here: https://connectwithyourteens.com/communication-coaching [https://connectwithyourteens.com/communication-coaching] More Resources: 🤍Looking for a safe, faith-based community of moms who get it?  Come join us inside the How To Connect With Your Teens Facebook group—we’re waiting to welcome you: Connect With Your Teens Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectwithyourteens] 💌Want weekly encouragement straight to your in box? Become a Connect With Your Teens Insider for weekly parenting tips, encouragement, and support straight to your inbox Weekly Insider Newsletter [https://connectwithyourteens.com/insider-newsletter-connect-with-your-teens] ✨Follow or DM Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terricommunicationcoach [https://www.instagram.com/terricommunicationcoach] ✨Contact: support@connectwithyourteens.com [support@connectwithyourteens.com] 🎧Would you like to experience His peace through worship?  These songs have brought me peace and encouragement when I needed most to anchor my heart in Christ. Get my Anchoring Spotify Playlist here (no sign up required): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0pmOIQvAH6dibMmAxQzbGf?si=WZ8bE23YQfWdY5lbBM_2pA&nd=1&dlsi=e9c329d0073a4b3b [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0pmOIQvAH6dibMmAxQzbGf?si=WZ8bE23YQfWdY5lbBM_2pA&nd=1&dlsi=e9c329d0073a4b3b] Related Episodes:  49 The Power of God’s Acceptance to Turn the Heart of Your Teen [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000748682905] 56 - Are You Accidentally Shutting Down Your Teen? 3 Communication Patterns That Block Connection [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000754565081] 64 - Stop Arguing With Your Teen and Let Them Have Their Perspective [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000760036568]

87 | 3 Ways to Stay Calm When Your Teen Pushes Your Buttons

Why do you keep reacting the very way you promised yourself you wouldn’t? Maybe your teen rolled their eyes, ignored you, or answered with “Whatever,” and before you knew it, your frustration took over. You weren’t trying to yell. You weren’t trying to make things worse. But somehow the conversation ended with both of you feeling hurt, misunderstood, and even more disconnected. In this episode, you’ll discover that the real issue often isn’t your teen’s behavior or even the conversation itself. It’s what your reactions may be revealing about what’s happening in your own heart—and how God can meet you there so you can respond with greater peace, wisdom, and confidence. You’ll learn: * Why reacting usually starts long before the conversation begins. * How your emotions can reveal what’s really driving your communication. * Three practical steps to respond instead of react. * Simple communication skills that help build connection and build trust with your teen. * How an anchored heart leads to calmer, more effective teen communication. As followers of Christ, we don’t have to parent from fear or carry the weight of changing our teens. God invites us to anchor ourselves in His presence, receive His peace, and respond with the wisdom and grace He promises to give. As our hearts change, our communication skills begin to change—and that opens the door for stronger relationships and lasting connection. Are you ready to stop reacting and start building the relationship you’ve been praying for, I’d love to walk alongside you?  🎉To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the podcast, I’m offering a special anniversary price on my one-hour Communication Coaching Call through Sunday at midnight.  👉Go to ConnectWithYourTeens.com/communication-coaching [http://connectwithyourteens.com/communication-coaching]  to learn more. More Resources: 🤍Looking for a safe, faith-based community of moms who get it?  Come join us inside the How To Connect With Your Teens Facebook group—we’re waiting to welcome you: Connect With Your Teens Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectwithyourteens] 💌Want weekly encouragement straight to your in box? Become a Connect With Your Teens Insider for weekly parenting tips, encouragement, and support straight to your inbox Weekly Insider Newsletter [https://connectwithyourteens.com/insider-newsletter-connect-with-your-teens] ✨Follow or DM Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terricommunicationcoach [https://www.instagram.com/terricommunicationcoach] ✨Contact: support@connectwithyourteens.com [support@connectwithyourteens.com] 🎧Would you like to experience His peace through worship?  These songs have brought me peace and encouragement when I needed most to anchor my heart in Christ. Get my Anchoring Spotify Playlist here (no sign up required): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0pmOIQvAH6dibMmAxQzbGf?si=WZ8bE23YQfWdY5lbBM_2pA&nd=1&dlsi=e9c329d0073a4b3b [https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0pmOIQvAH6dibMmAxQzbGf?si=WZ8bE23YQfWdY5lbBM_2pA&nd=1&dlsi=e9c329d0073a4b3b] Related Episodes:  45 - Stuck in the Noise? How to Break Free From Parenting Paralysis [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000745367677] 58 - 5 Scriptures to Anchor Communication Skills and Build Connection [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000755866500] 77 - Build Connection With Your Teen: Why They Don’t Need to Change First [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000770822990]

86 | How to Build Connection With Your Teen Without Controlling Them

Ever feel like you’re doing everything you know to build connection with your teen… but somehow you feel farther apart than ever? Sometimes the biggest barrier to building connection isn’t a lack of love—it’s the assumptions we make before we’ve taken the time to truly understand what’s happening in our teen’s heart and life. Fear can quietly fill in the blanks, causing us to react instead of respond in ways that strengthen trust. In this episode, I share a personal story about my oldest daughter that reminded me how easily fear and assumptions can keep us from truly understanding our teens—and how choosing curiosity instead can strengthen trust, connection, and communication. You’ll discover why choosing curiosity over assumptions can transform your relationship and how small shifts in the way you communicate can lead to greater trust, deeper connection, and lasting influence. In this episode you’ll discover: * Why fear often shapes our conversations more than we realize. * The simple communication shifts that helps build trust with your teen. * How to choose understanding over agreement without giving up your values or boundaries. * Practical communication skills that create emotional safety and stronger relationships. * Why curiosity is one of the most powerful ways to build connection with your teen. As followers of Christ, we don’t have to let fear determine how we respond. God invites us to bring our concerns to Him first, seek His wisdom, and love our teens the way He continually loves and pursues us—with grace, truth, and understanding. Listen now, and discover how small shifts toward curiosity can begin changing the direction of your relationship with your child. 💛 I’d love to invite you to join our free monthly online Support Group on July 14th!  If you’re looking for encouragement, practical help, and a community of moms who understand what you’re walking through, we’d love to have you with us. 👉 Save your seat here: https://connectwithyourteens.com/supportgroup [https://connectwithyourteens.com/supportgroup] More Resources: ✨ Want to work 1:1 with me? Schedule a 60-Minute Communication Coaching Call, and let’s talk through your situation, identify what’s keeping you stuck, and create a clear path toward greater connection and trust with your child. 👉 https://connectwithyourteens.com/1-hour-communicationcoaching [https://connectwithyourteens.com/1-hour-communicationcoaching] 💌 Want weekly encouragement straight to your in box? Become a Connect With Your Teens Insider for weekly parenting tips, encouragement, and support straight to your inbox Weekly Insider Newsletter [https://connectwithyourteens.com/insider-newsletter-connect-with-your-teens] 🤍 Looking for a safe, faith-based community of moms who get it?  Come join us inside the How To Connect With Your Teens Facebook group—we’re waiting to welcome you: Connect With Your Teens Facebook Group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/connectwithyourteens] ✨ Follow or DM Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terricommunicationcoach [https://www.instagram.com/terricommunicationcoach] ✨ Contact: support@connectwithyourteens.com [support@connectwithyourteens.com] Related Episodes: 64 - Stop Arguing With Your Teen: Let Them Have Their Perspective [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000760036568] 75 - Teaching Teens to Drive Without Fear or Conflict with Ed Lee (Part 2) [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000769638756] 79 - Parenting Teens: 5 Words That Build Trust and Connection Fast [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296?i=1000771860906]