Ep 27. The Number One Way to Increase Influence and Connection with Your Teen: Respect

In this episode, I break down what respect really looks like during adolescence, why it matters so deeply, and how we can lead our teens with both firmness and dignity. 

When teens feel dismissed, talked down to, or controlled, their brains go into defense mode. But when they feel respected, they’re far more likely to stay open, honest, and cooperative even when the conversation is hard. 

So often, we fall into the mindset that respect is something our teen has to earn. But the truth is, with teenagers, respect is often the fastest way to rebuild connection and increase influence. 

 Here’s what we’ll explore: 

  •  Why respect is the foundation of connection and influence
  •  How subtle disrespect leads to resistance and shutdown
  •  Why teens are neurologically wired to care about dignity and status
  •  The “high expectations + high support” approach from researcher David Yeager
  •  Why collaboration beats control when setting boundaries
  •  What teens notice most about respect at school and at home
  •  How modeling respect is the quickest way to receive it back
  •  Why repair after conflict builds trust faster than perfection
  •  One of the most respectful parenting shifts: not rushing in to fix, correct, or advise 

Free Support for Parents:

Teen Confidence Breakthrough Workshop (Free Live Training)
📅 Tuesday, Feb 24th at 10am Pacific
🔗 youth.guided-passages.com/workshop

Rites of Passage Trips Info Session
📅 Wednesday, March 18th at 6pm Pacific
🔗 youth.guided-passages.com/wilderness

If this episode helped you, please leave a 5-star review, subscribe, and send me a DM with your biggest takeaway!

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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.