logo
episode-header-image
Yesterday
17m 37s

When Parenting Feels Hopeless

MARK GREGSTON
About this episode

When your family is in crisis, it can feel like the conflict, heartache and exhaustion will never end. But the difficult season you’re walking through today doesn’t have to define your relationship with your teen tomorrow. In this episode, Mark draws on decades of walking alongside struggling families to offer hope to parents who feel worn out and ready to give up. He explains why conflict can actually deepen relationships, why hope requires action and why parents should focus not only on getting through today’s crisis, but on building the relationship they want with their teen five years from now. Listen in for encouragement to keep showing up, keep investing and trust that God is still at work — even when you can’t yet see the other side.

Gain a new perspective on conflict with your teen and recover from the exhaustion that’s draining your ability to parent: bit.ly/hope-for-constant-conflict-exhausted-parents

Up next
Oct 13
Teen Stories: When Fitting in Feels Impossible
Growing up today means living in a world obsessed with appearances, fitting in and being “enough.” In this episode, Mark chats with two young women at Heartlight who open up about battling anxiety, insecurity and the pressure to perform. Both share how their struggles — whether f ... Show More
21m 3s
Oct 12
Making the Most of Time with Your Teen
The teen years go by faster than most parents realize. And while your schedule may be packed, the time you intentionally spend with your teen today can shape your relationship for years to come. Mark and Wayne discuss why regular one-on-one time is so important — and how listenin ... Show More
24m 30s
Oct 9
I Mustache Mark a Question: Motivation, Mental Health and Growing Up
In this insightful Q&A episode, Mark dives into some tough questions parents are facing with their older teens on the verge of adulthood. He tackles real-life situations like helping teens develop independence as they approach age 18, addressing defiance and disrespect, and makin ... Show More
27m 6s
Recommended Episodes
May 2025
The Follow-Up: How Phones and Social Media Impact Kids
In this insightful follow-up episode, Dr. Mona is joined by Bill Brady—CEO of Troomi Wireless and a father of five—for a powerful conversation about the realities of kids and phones. They discuss the benefits of tech, the very real risks of social media, and how parents can intro ... Show More
14m 59s
Sep 2023
Reducing Screen Time Battles
In today's episode, we're diving headfirst into the ever-present challenge of electronics in our children's lives. As parents, we often find ourselves in a balancing act - how much screen time is too much? How do we create a healthy relationship between our kids and their devices ... Show More
15m 35s
Mar 2024
Balancing the Benefits and Concerns of Kids and Phones
We live in a digital age, and at some point, our children will have access to phones, but it is our responsibility as parents to balance the benefits and risks of phone use. I welcome Bill Brady, who is the CEO and Co-founder of Troomi Wireless, a mobile phone platform designed t ... Show More
34m 26s
Apr 2025
Guarding Your Teen with Boundaries
Teens are under so much pressure these days. Whether it's learning to drive or them resisting sexual temptation, how can you help as a parent? Jodie Berndt talks with Jim Daly on ways she learned to pray for her kids in the teen years. Then, John and Danny bring up how to help yo ... Show More
12m 39s
Apr 2023
The Guptas on Parenting in the Social Media Era
This season, we’ve heard from experts, parents, and teens about how screen time is shaping our lives. But this has also been a family affair. On today’s episode, Dr. Sanjay Gupta sits down with his wife, Rebecca, to reflect on their biggest lessons learned along the way, and the ... Show More
36m 35s
Sep 2023
If You’re Tracking Your Kids, Should You Tell Them?
On this episode: Zak Rosen, Jamilah Lemieux, and Elizabeth Newcamp talk about parenting digital citizens. Elizabeth sits down with author and speaker Dr. Devorah Heitner about her latest book, Growing Up in Public. The book helps guide parents through navigating social media and ... Show More
37m 12s
Jul 2024
Sarah Beeny on raising teens and empty nest syndrome
The property aficionado lands on DMP to talk raising teenage boys, the good, the bad and the ugly of your kids growing into adults - and how to navigate tech in a parental world that doesn’t really have blueprint other than hollering ‘get off your phone’. An informative chat with ... Show More
52m 57s
Aug 2024
Phones: The fun, the annoying and the confusing
Ping! Another episode of Brains On just dropped! And it’s all about phones: how they help us, why they’re so hard to put down – and how to have a balanced relationship with them. In this episode, Molly and co-host Linden do a deep dive on phone use. They’ll chat with an expert ab ... Show More
42m 37s
Oct 2025
How parents can be screen time role models
There's a lot of talk about how to monitor screen time for kids. But for kids to have healthy relationships with technology and smartphones, parents need to model good habits. Life Kit reporter Andee Tagle talks with experts and offers practical tips so parents can set the tone f ... Show More
24m 59s