Feeding The Mouth That Bites You: Parenting Teens Into Adulthood

Is your teenager just moody, or is there something more going on? And when did we start calling every difficult emotion a "chemical imbalance"?
Today, Dr. Ken and Cynthia are talking about teenage moodiness, anxiety, depression, and whether we've become too quick to medicalize the normal struggles of adolescence. Dr. Ken explains why the popular idea of a chemical imbalance isn't as scientifically established as we've been led to believe—and why medication can still be helpful in certain situations.
We also get practical about how parents can tell the difference between normal teenage moodiness and something that needs professional attention. Plus, why it matters whether your teenager is struggling at school, with friends, and in other areas of life—or if they just seem to be miserable whenever they're around you. 😂
It's a helpful conversation about knowing when to seek help, when to give your teenager some space, and why not every bad mood needs a diagnosis.

If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners. 
You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here
You can order Cynthia's book "Life Is Messy, God Is Good" here
You can pre-order Cynthia's book "How'd I Miss That" here
 
Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com 
Music provided by the great John David Kent - https://www.johndavidkent.com/

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There is a LOT of parenting advice out there right now—and not all of it is bad. The problem is what happens when we start piecing together a little calm parenting, a little connection parenting, a little neurodivergence content, and whatever else showed up in our feed that week.
Dr. Ken and Cynthia talk about why parents need to understand the bigger philosophy behind the advice they’re taking in, especially when raising teens and young adults.
They also explain why the Feeding the Mouth approach works best when you stay consistent with it: your teenager is moving toward adulthood and autonomy, and your job is to steadily work your way out of managing their life.
You can learn from lots of good sources along the way—but if every new idea causes you to rethink the whole plan, you may end up working against the very independence you’re trying to build.

If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners. 
You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here
You can order Cynthia's book "Life Is Messy, God Is Good" here
You can pre-order Cynthia's book "How'd I Miss That" here
 
Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com 
Music provided by the great John David Kent - https://www.johndavidkent.com/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out Quince and use my code FEEDING for a great deal: https://www.quince.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The recent case out of Cornell has brought up some really hard conversations for parents of teens and college students.
Dr. Ken and Cynthia talk about whether parents should bring cases like this up with their kids, how much detail is appropriate, and how to talk about alcohol, consent, and safety without turning it into a giant lecture.
They also get into the importance of teaching our kids to step in when something isn’t right—even if it means calling an adult, upsetting a friend, or being the unpopular one in the room.
It’s a heavy topic, but also one that opens the door to some necessary conversations.

If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners. 
You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here
You can order Cynthia's book "Life Is Messy, God Is Good" here
You can pre-order Cynthia's book "How'd I Miss That" here
 
Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com 
Music provided by the great John David Kent - https://www.johndavidkent.com/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out Quince and use my code FEEDING for a great deal: https://www.quince.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dr. Ken’s least favorite parenting word may officially be “dysregulated”—which is unfortunate, because that’s exactly what we’re talking about this week.
What happens when our teen gets worked up and we match their intensity? Or when one particular kid knows exactly how to push every button we have? Cynthia and Dr. Ken talk about anger, overreacting, emotional parenting, and how our own upbringing can shape the way we respond to our kids.
If you’ve ever walked away from an interaction with your teen thinking, “Well... I could have handled that better,” this episode is for you.

If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners. 
You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here
You can order Cynthia's book "Life Is Messy, God Is Good" here
You can pre-order Cynthia's book "How'd I Miss That" here
 
Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com 
Music provided by the great John David Kent - https://www.johndavidkent.com/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out Quince and use my code FEEDING for a great deal: https://www.quince.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Are you walking on eggshells around your teen? Lecturing when you meant to have a conversation? Reminding them of everything because you’re afraid they’ll drop the ball—or getting pulled too far into problems they need to learn to handle themselves? You’re not alone. Parenting teenagers has a funny way of bringing out communication habits we swore we’d never have.
This week, Dr. Ken and Cynthia unpack four common communication pitfalls: the Path of Least Resistance Parent, the Parent Struggling to Stay in Their Lane, the TED Talk Parent, and the Reminder Machine.
If communication with your teen feels tense, exhausting, or just plain ineffective, this episode will help you recognize what may be getting in the way—and hopefully laugh a little at yourself along the way.

If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners. 
You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here
You can order Cynthia's book "Life Is Messy, God Is Good" here
You can pre-order Cynthia's book "How'd I Miss That" here
 
Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com 
Music provided by the great John David Kent - https://www.johndavidkent.com/

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Amazing Generation: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com
* Check out Quince and use my code FEEDING for a great deal: https://www.quince.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy