If you have kids, you’ve probably heard the saying “little kids, little problems, big kids, big problems.” It usually comes from parents of teens or grown children giving parents of younger kids an ominous warning wrapped up in a saying meant to provide sage advice. Perhaps ominous is too strong of a word unless your children have already hit the teen years. In which case, grab a stress ball and take up running or yoga because you’re going to need it.
Remember those terrible twos? You will definitely think back fondly on those times during the dreaded teen years. All kidding aside, adolescence is a tough road to navigate. Teens are going through physical, emotional, cognitive, and social changes during this confusing time. Saying it isn’t easy is an understatement, especially since parents often take the brunt of teen mood swings.
7 parenting teen podcasts you need to listen to today
Sometimes it can feel like parents are alone in the midst of the sea of teenage angst, but thankfully there are podcasts dedicated to parenting teens that will make you laugh, cry, and offer information you can really use, like understanding what’s really behind all those eye rolls. Check out these 7 podcasts the next time you need some insight, advice, or just the knowledge that you’re not the only one struggling to parent your teen.
Talking to Teens
Let’s face it — talking to your teen about the dangers of drugs and alcohol as well as the dreaded sex talk is no fun. And those topics don’t scratch the surface of what’s going on in their lives. Andy Earle is a writer and researcher, and his podcast Talking to Teens touches on a lot of pertinent subjects like what’s going on in the brain during adolescence. Earle’s podcast episodes often feature special guests and experts, and most episodes are around 30 minutes which is doable to listen to during a workout or even while driving in the car.
Mighty Parenting
Parenting teens today is quite different from when we were teens. Social media magnifies the issues teens deal with, but also exposes them to a whole world of other topics. Mighty Parenting is hosted by Sandy Fowler who gets real about today’s topics impacting teens and their parents. Recent podcasts discuss the prevalence of teen suicides, the legalization of marijuana, eating disorders, and anxiety.
The Parenting Great Kids Podcast
What do parents want most for their children? The simple answer is for them to be healthy and happy. The Parenting Great Kids Podcast is hosted by pediatrician, author, and mom, Dr. Meg Meeker. This podcast isn’t just for parents of teens. Episodes deal with a wide range of issues impacting parents and their children. Many are relevant to teens with episodes on how pandemic stress is affecting young adults to talking to teens about sex.
Your Teen with Sue and Steph
Susan Borison and Stephanie Silverman are the voices behind this must-listen podcast for parents of tweens and teens. Frank talks about a whole host of parenting issues, insightful interviews with parenting experts and authors as well as real-life stories, make Your Teen with Sue and Steph entertaining and informative.
Mom and Dad are Fighting
If you are dealing with multiple ages in your home, give this podcast from Slate Magazine a go. Jamilah Lemieux, Dan Kois, Elizabeth Newcamp, and a slew of other hosts hit on topics like getting teens out the door on time for school, screen time, and what to do if your teen suddenly decides to be vegan. Many episodes of Mom and Dad are Fighting deal with a parent calling in to talk about an issue impacting their home.
Digital Parent
Tweens and teens open themselves up to a whole lot of precarious situations through the wonders of those smartphones they carry with them 24/7. Digital Parent is hosted by writer Sed Lewis. Lewis’ podcasts help parents to keep their adolescents safe while navigating the often treacherous waters of life online.
Power your Parenting: Moms with Teens
We’ve all heard about the often volatile relationships between moms and daughters during the teen years. There’s often quite a bit of drama surrounding the relationship between teens and parents. Colleen O’Grady is an award-winning and best-selling author who uses her experience as a marriage and family therapist to talk parents of teens through issues like addiction, acne, and more on her Power Your Parenting: Moms with Teens podcast.
Being a parent actually is the toughest and most rewarding job you’ll have. While each stage of parenting has its ups and downs, the teen years often come with more stress and anxiety as adolescents work their way toward adulthood. Ultimately, as parents, we want our children to grow up to be healthy and happy. In order to help them get there, parents need to be that guiding role model, which is easier said than done. Inspiration, information, and guidance can be found in parenting teen podcasts. Podcasts are a helpful option in making sense of the complexities of teenagers.
Editors' Recommendations
- Even teens will think these 10 birthday party places are cool
- 6 reasons why all parents should let their kids have cellphones
- Parenting 101: A list of punishments for teenagers that actually work
- Teething baby not eating? 7 simple solutions every concerned parent should try
- Why your teen should get a summer job right now
