Have you ever felt like your teen’s phone gets more attention than you do?

Maybe summer break arrived and you were hoping for more conversations, more connection, and more time together. Instead, it feels like every interaction starts with trying to pull your teen’s attention away from a screen.

If you’ve ever felt ignored, dismissed, or less important than whatever is happening on your teen’s phone, you’re not alone.

In this episode, Terri shares a surprising realization about screen time, communication, and what may really be happening when your teen doesn’t respond the way you hoped. You’ll discover why these moments become so emotional, a simple brain-science insight that can change the way you see them, and practical communication skills that help build connection instead of conflict.

You’ll Learn:

• Why your teen’s reaction may not mean what you think it means
• The hidden reason screen time interactions become emotionally charged
• 5 practical ways to build connection without creating more conflict
• How to anchor yourself in Christ before responding out of frustration or fear

If you’re looking for parenting tips, better communication skills, and simple ways to build connection with your teen this summer, this episode will encourage you and give you a practical next step.

Because sometimes the phone isn’t the real problem.

And that’s actually good news.

💛 Feeling like you’re losing connection with your teen?

If you’re listening to this episode and realizing, “I’ve been waiting for my teen to change, and I don’t know what my next step should be,” I’d love to invite you to my free Connect With Your Teens Support Group.

This monthly Zoom gathering is a place where moms can bring their real-life situations, receive encouragement, gain clarity around what’s blocking connection, and leave with practical next steps.

📅 The next group meets June 9 at 10:00 AM Arizona time.

💛 Save your seat here: https://connectwithyourteens.com/supportgroup

Want more support?

🤍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

💛 Need 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

✨Follow or DM Instagram: @terricommunicationcoach

✨Contact: support@connectwithyourteens.com

💬 Want to help more moms like you get the support they’ve been praying for?

Take 60 seconds to leave a review so they can find this podcast and renewed hope for their relationship: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296

Have you ever found yourself thinking…

“If my teen would just change, things would finally get better”?

Maybe if they would talk more. Maybe if they would stop pushing back. Maybe if they would be more respectful. Maybe if they would open up. If you’ve ever felt stuck waiting for your teen to change before your relationship can improve, you’re not alone.

In this episode, we talk about a personal story about a season when I thought she was losing my daughter. After conflict, slammed doors, consequences that weren’t working, and a terrifying attempt to run away, I found myself overwhelmed with fear and unsure what to do next.

What God showed me during that season completely changed the way I approached parenting, communication, and connection. If you’re longing to build connection with your teen but feel like nothing you’ve tried is working, this episode will give you hope and a practical next step.

In this episode you'll learn:

• Why waiting for your teen to change first can leave you feeling stuck and powerless • The difference between control and influence in your relationship with your teen • How curiosity and understanding can create deeper connection than correction alone • Three simple questions to ask God when you feel stuck and don’t know what to do next

No matter how impossible things may feel right now, God is not finished writing your story.

If you’re feeling stuck, discouraged, or unsure what your next step should be, I’d love to invite you to my free Connect With Your Teens Support Group. This monthly Zoom gathering is a place where you can bring their real-life situations, receive encouragement, gain clarity around what’s blocking connection, and leave with practical next steps.

📅 The next group meets June 9 at 10:00 AM Arizona time.

💛 Save your seat here: https://connectwithyourteens.com/supportgroup

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

💌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 Newsletter

💬 Want to help more moms like you get the support they’ve been praying for?

Leave a review so they can find this podcast and renewed hope for their relationship: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/connect-with-your-teens-conversation-starters/id1826286296

✨Follow or DM Instagram: @terricommunicationcoach

✨Contact: support@connectwithyourteens.com

Related Episodes:

34 | Beyond the Lie: Unpacking the Fear That Shut Me Down — Honest Talk with Sharaya Maples (Part 1)

35 | Beyond Punishment: Creating the Safety That Invites Truth — Candid Conversation with Sharaya Maples (Part 2)

76 | When Your Soul Is Too Loud to Listen to Your Teen

Do you ever feel physically present with your teen… but mentally somewhere else?

Thinking about the dishes. The work. The schedule. The text you forgot to answer. The pressure of trying to hold everything together. Sometimes moms carry so much for so long that their souls stop feeling rested… and it quietly begins affecting communication, emotional connection, and even the ability to truly listen.

In this episode, we talk honestly about our struggles with internal noise, striving, exhaustion, and what God has been teaching me through the words:

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

This isn’t about becoming a perfect mom. It’s about returning to Christ in the middle of real life and learning how to anchor in His presence instead of fear, pressure, and overwhelm.

You’ll Learn:

• How internal noise affects communication with your teen • Why stillness is about returning to Christ, not escaping responsibility • The connection between emotional overwhelm and listening • A gentle invitation to slow down and reconnect with God’s presence

If you’ve been feeling emotionally exhausted lately… overwhelmed, internally stretched thin, or struggling to stay connected with your teen through the stress of everyday life, I hope this episode reminds you that you were never meant to carry everything alone.

And mom, if you’re realizing how much the emotional pressure, exhaustion, or communication struggles have been affecting your relationship with your teen… I’d love to support you personally.

Right now, when you book a coaching call with me, I’m offering a second call free. 💛

🔗 https://connectwithyourteens.com/1-hour-communicationcoaching

✔️ Want more support?

🤍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

💌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 Newsletter

✨Follow or DM on Instagram: @terricommunicationcoach

✨Contact: support@connectwithyourteens.com

💛 Leave a Review

If this episode encouraged or gave you hope for your relationships, would you leave a written review? Your reviews help other moms find this podcast and the support they’ve been praying for.

Related Episodes:

42 - New Year, New Peace: How to Enter God's Rest and Still Build Connection

45 - Stuck in the Noise? How to Break Free From Parenting Paralysis

58 - 5 Scriptures to Anchor Communication Skills and Build Connection