Ep 26. The Control Shift That Changes Everything With Teens: What You Can Control vs What You Can’t

I’m sharing a simple but powerful shift that can completely change your relationship with your teenager: learning what’s actually in your control and what isn’t.

When your teen is shutting down, acting out, bringing attitude home, or struggling with motivation, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of trying to control their behavior in the heat of the moment. But the truth is, the more we try to control what we can’t, the more disconnected and overwhelmed we feel.

In this conversation, I break down how focusing on your own response instead of your teen’s emotions is where your real influence and leadership live.

This episode is for parents navigating:

  1. Teen attitude and disrespect
  2. Emotional meltdowns and big feelings
  3. Power struggles and constant conflict
  4. Motivation and follow-through challenges
  5. Setting boundaries without yelling or nagging

We’ll discuss the Circle of Control (inspired by Stephen Covey), the power of co-regulation, and what it truly means to “Let Them” (from Mel Robbins) without letting everything slide.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, reactive, or exhausted, this episode will remind you that the most powerful thing you can do is return to what you can control: your own nervous system, your boundaries, and your next move.

 Want Support Beyond the Podcast?

You don’t have to do this alone.

If you’re looking for more tools, guidance, and a supportive community of parents raising teens with connection and calm boundaries, join me in my Parents of Teens Rising Circle

And if this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear your takeaway.

Send me a DM on Instagram or share this episode with a parent friend who needs the reminder.

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Image of Guided Passages Founder Jasmyne Chandler next to the question, "Want a better connection with your teen?"

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Kerrick Gooden

Guide

Kerrick was raised in the Hill Country of Austin, Texas where he studied at the University of Texas. After some travel, he moved to the Rogue Valley of Oregon with a vision to farm and support youth. He completed his Bachelor’s of Science in Applied Cultural Anthropology with Honors in 2004 at Southern Oregon University, and devoted over a decade supporting youth and their families navigate  local and state social service programs. During this time, he and his partner cultivated a food forest at their home and founded Verdant Phoenix as an educational mini-farm in 2016.

Verdant Phoenix Farm became an expression of a way of life for Kerrick. He is interested in the relationships between humans, soil, microbes, plants/trees/shrubs, food, culture, time, and the web of life. As these elements inform his horticultural practice, Kerrick enjoys supporting landscapes, gardens, farms, and their people who are interested in belonging to the land.