Parenting teenagers untangled. 🏆 Award-winning podcast for parents of teens and tweens.

Rachel Richards and Susie Asli

<p>Welcome to your weekly audio hug full of research, tips and discussions for parents of teens and tweens. <br><br>As a mum of two teens and two bonus daughters, I've designed this audio hug to help calm your fears, learn from the mistakes of others, and grow in confidence in your role. <br><br>It may look like other parents are perfect but even experts make mistakes, because good parenting is a constant challenge. In all the research I've done the most important thing we can do is focus on building our connection by being more curious and less critical of both our kids and ourselves. Admitting our mistakes isn't failure, it's growth.<br><br>Before each episode I do lots of research to understand what's going on in this rapidly-changing world to keep us as prepared as possible for whatever life throws at us.  <br><br>Susie then brings her wealth of expertise and experience in mindfulness to the discussion as we talk through the options for parenting in an imperfect world, offering tips on the things we've learned along the way.<br><br>What the Independent Podcasting Award judges said:  <br>'The advice within the podcast on how to deal with what life throws at you is universally helpful, not just for those with teenagers.'  <br><br>'A good mix of personal stories alongside professional insight; it's addressing something different, and helps its audience with the references and extra information provided in episode notes.'  <br><br>'The rapport between the hosts, Rachel and Susie, is great with a good mix of them chatting, but also providing context for the listener and remembering them within the conversation.' <br><br>For more discussion and tips, you can find us on Facebook and Instagram. Find courses with Susie at https://www.amindful-life.co.uk/</p>

  • 47 minutes 20 seconds
    Teen Love &amp; Heartbreak: Understanding Teen Behavior and Improving Communication

    Ask Rachel anything

    When our kids go through their first experience of love and attraction it can bring up a lot of feelings we thought we'd neatly packed away; the intensity of that first crush, the humiliation of not being chosen, the heartbreak that felt like it would swallow us whole. 

    As a parent trying to support our kids through it can be tricky because our teens’ first love stories can collide with our own unfinished ones.

    In this episode of Teenagers Untangled, I’m joined by professor Lisa Phillips, author of First Love: Guiding Teens Through Relationships and Heartbreak. We explore the complex world of teen behavior surrounding first love and heartbreak. Understanding how our teens express their feelings and the challenges they face can really help us to communicate with them. 

    We talk about:

    • Why parents often feel a spike in distress when their teen starts dating
    • How crushes, “situationships” and breakups affect the developing teenage brain
    • The difference between healthy intensity and unhealthy enmeshment
    • How to support both boys and girls in talking about their feelings, not just their “results”
    • What it means to parent in a world of social media, online porn, nonchalance and loneliness
    • How to show up for LGBTQ+ and questioning teens when their identities don’t fit the “straight story”
    • Why consent can’t be a tick‑box talk, and how to navigate the grey areas with our kids
    • What healthy support after a breakup actually looks and sounds like

    If your child is anywhere on the spectrum from secret crush to serious relationship, this conversation will help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface. My hope is that it gives you language, courage and compassion to walk alongside them, rather than dismissing it as “just drama” or trying to shut it all down.

    Because for our teens, first love isn’t practice. It’s real, it’s formative, and it leaves a lasting imprint. How we respond now can teach them not only how to survive their first heartbreak, but how to love and be loved for the rest of their lives.

    Previous interview with my own daughter, Phoebe:

    https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/144-first-love-breakups-lgbtq-how-to-support-our-kids-through-the-turmoil/

    Contact Lisa Phillips:

    [email protected]

    Lisa A. Phillips, author of the new book, First Love: Guiding Teens through Relationships and Heartbreak, has written about relationships, mental health, and teens for the New York Times, the Washington Post, Longreads, Psychology Today, Cosmopolitan, Salon, and other outlets. She teaches journalism and the popular “Love and Heartbreak” seminar at the State University of New York at New Paltz. 

    Support the show

    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 

    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 

    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/

    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    1 April 2026, 3:00 am
  • 35 minutes 41 seconds
    When your teen gets rejected: How we parents can help

    Ask Rachel anything

    A listener wrote to say both she and her son felt pretty stunned after he was rejected from the university he'd set his heart on. She asked for the best way to help our teenagers cope with this sort of disappointment. 

    I thought it was a great question and a good opportunity to also look at how we parents best navigate when your teen has worked for years toward a dream - a top university place, exam results, a team, a part - and it doesn’t happen. The disappointment can feel earth‑shattering for them and gut‑wrenching for you.

    In this episode I talk with Dr Dominique Thompson, award‑winning GP and young people’s mental health expert, about how to support teenagers through big disappointments such as university rejection, exam failure, and missed opportunities – without rescuing them or minimising their feelings.

    We explore:

    • What teens are actually grieving when things go wrong – including the loss of an imagined future
    • How to validate their emotions while gently stopping catastrophic thinking
    • The difference between building resilience and teaching kids to suppress their feelings
    • Why today’s culture of perfectionism and “being the best” is driving anxiety, burnout and fear of failure
    • How to help teens separate self‑worth from grades, offers and achievements
    • Practical ways to prepare teens for university life, academic stress and independence
    • When dropping out isn’t the only option – how to press pause, get help and return stronger
    • What to do if your teen feels “left behind” while friends move on to university or big opportunities
    • How parents can be a “safe harbour”: supportive, boundaried, and not adding their own disappointment to their teen’s load

    If you’re a parent wondering how to respond when your child says, “I’ve failed you,” or “There’s no point trying,” this conversation will give you concrete language, mindset shifts and step‑by‑step strategies to help them cope, reframe, and find a new path forward.

    Dr Dominique Thompson: is a multi-award winning former GP, young people's mental health expert, TEDx speaker, author and educator, with over two decades of NHS clinical experience.

    She is author of The Student Wellbeing Series for young people, and co-author of How to Grow a Grown Up (PenguinRandomHouse) for parents.

    [email protected]

    www.buzzconsulting.co.uk 

    https://www.instagram.com/drdomthompson/

    https://www.facebook.com/drdomthompson/

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominique-thompson/

    Support the show

    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 

    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 

    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/

    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    25 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 33 minutes 28 seconds
    Raising Boys In The Age of the Manosphere - Vintage

    Ask Rachel anything

    Three years ago we were asked by a listener to discuss how we can talk to boys about influential online figures like Andrew Tate, who act both as an inspiration to achieve great things, and a lightning rod for disgruntled men who blame feminism for their ills and cheer on his particular form of aggressive misogyny.

    Now that Louis Theroux has shone a light on the Manosphere in his latest Netflix documentary I thought it important to dust off this old episode because the information is far more detailed, and useful for parents of tweens and teens. 

    Whether the words Red Pill, Matrix, and Manosphere have any particular meaning for you, they are having an increasing impact on the environment our boys are growing up in. It's up to us as parents to help our boys unpack what they're hearing and sift the diamonds from the dirt.

    My research into the topic has highlighted an urgent need to be talking with our sons about their dreams, and how we can support them in discovering role models who show what it is to be a successful man, without needing to humiliate and destroy other people.   

    Click here for tips and advice from the episode:

    1. Avoid silencing your teen, even if you disagree with what they say. It's vital that they are given the chance to talk about what they're thinking so that you can have proper discussions about it. Telling them they are wrong won't help them think about the issues.
    2. Focus the discussion on what is really attractive to them about the messages they are hearing, and help them to differentiate between the positive and the dangerously negative.
    3. Unpick the words the boys use and be clear about anything that is sexist, racist, etc and why that's an issue. Remember, they are building their identity and they're allowed to make mistakes along the way.  Don't shame them.
    4. Arm yourself with real facts. If they tell you something that they've heard online help them to go to real sources, rather than simply listening to someone who has an agenda and wants to get lots of clicks.
    5. Don't just focus on Tate, he's only one of the people espousing this thinking.

    Potential role models: Look for men in your own community first

    • Greg James 
    • Mark Lewis: https://www.marklewis.co.uk/
    • Novak Djokovic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=867mtHTsaDo
    • Stephen Bartlett - Diary of a CEO (Business) His podcast has lots of successful men being interviewed.
    • KSI, Beta Squad, Sidemen, Mr Beast, Chris MD. 
    • Bear Grylls - Chief Scout and outdo

    Support the show

    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 

    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 

    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/

    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    18 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 1 hour 18 minutes
    Cutting it as a parent? Life as a surgeon, author and mother of four with Gabriel Weston

    Ask Rachel anything

    If you’ve ever lain awake at night wondering whether you’re getting this parenting thing horribly wrong, you need to hear this conversation with surgeon and author Gabriel Weston.

    Gabriel is a mother of four – including tween twins – a prize‑winning writer and a working surgeon. She talks with disarming honesty about:

    • How she parents without pretending to be endlessly patient or perfect
    • Why it’s okay to have limits to how much joy you get from parenting
    • The very real ways she sometimes gets it wrong, and how her kids now call her out
    • What her son’s life‑threatening brain condition and her own health scares have taught her about seeing all of us – including our teens – as “beautifully broken” humans
    • How she and her husband navigate very different parenting styles, from strict boundaries to snacks and softness

    What I love about Gabriel is that she says the quiet things out loud – the thoughts so many parents have but feel too guilty to admit. She’s funny, wise, and completely unpretentious, and by the end you may feel surprisingly lighter about your own “failings” as a parent.

    If you’ve ever worried that you’re too controlling, not present enough, not soft enough, or simply not “motherly” in the way you think you’re supposed to be, this episode will help you see that you are probably doing far better than you think. 

    Find Gabriel here:

    https://www.instagram.com/gabrielwestonalive/

    Buy her books:

    https://www.waterstones.com/author/gabriel-weston/6579

    https://amzn.eu/d/0cGm5jnK


    Support the show

    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 

    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 

    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/

    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    11 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 32 minutes 48 seconds
    Teenagers, AI, Nudes and Online Blackmail: What You Need to Know

    Ask Rachel anything

    There's been a dramatic increase in reports of grooming, sextortion and AI generated child sexual abuse material in recent years, and most parents believe politicans and technology companies aren't doing enough to protect kids.

    The UK government recently announced that makers of AI chatbots that put children at risk will face massive fines or even see their services blocked in the UK under law changes.

    And the French offices of Elon Musk's X were recently raided by the Paris prosecutor's cyber-crime unit, as part of an investigation into suspected offences including complicity in the possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 

    Four in five EU citizens support requiring online service providers to detect, report and remove child sexual abuse material, but while governments and technology companies wrangle over a fast-developing issue, we parents need accurate information and support on how best to keep our kids safe if they are online. 

    The Internet Watch Foundation has been around for 30 years and works alongside the UK charity Childline to protect children who have been affected, by offering emotional support and a means of tagging and removing images that predators use to extort and make money online.

    THE BEST PROTECTION:

    Keep devices out of bedrooms and bathrooms.

    Read my devices guide, with links to all of the relevant episodes, here

    Top tips from this episode

    KEY RESOURCES:

    Support the show

    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 

    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 

    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/

    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    4 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 27 minutes
    The Thing We All Need Most: Mattering

    Ask Rachel anything

    Mattering is a deep human need to feel valued beyond achievements. It's something we all need, but are we getting it?

    The new book by Jennifer Breheney-Wallace focuses on "Mattering," discussing how societal pressures, particularly on teenagers, exacerbate this need. 

    She emphasizes the importance of adults feeling valued at work to better support their children. 

    Wallace suggests practical strategies like minimizing criticism, prioritizing affection, and fostering interdependent relationships. 

    She also highlights the impact of social media on extrinsic values and stresses the need for parents to focus on intrinsic values to raise resilient, well-rounded children.

    FIND JENNIFER HERE:

    https://www.jenniferbwallace.com/

    BUY MATTERING HERE:

    https://amzn.eu/d/0fX3Q4Kd

    FIND RACHEL'S SUBSTACK ARTICLE TO ACCOMPANY THIS INTERVIEW HERE:

    https://open.substack.com/pub/teenagersuntangled/p/you-matter-no-matter-what?r=2u24i0&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

    • Mattering is a fundamental human need that drives behavior.
    • The adolescent years are particularly fragile for developing a sense of mattering.
    • Adults also struggle with feelings of not mattering, impacting their ability to support teens.
    • Building connections and support systems is essential for both parents and children.
    • Minimizing criticism and prioritizing affection helps children feel valued.
    • Surrounding oneself with supportive families can reinforce shared values.
    • Focusing on intrinsic values over extrinsic ones promotes better mental health.
    • Social media exacerbates feelings of inadequacy and should be monitored.
    • Parents can counter achievement pressures by communicating unconditional love.

    Support the show

    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 

    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 

    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/

    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    25 February 2026, 4:00 am
  • 35 minutes 19 seconds
    Why Some Kids Stop Talking to Their Parents

    Ask Rachel anything

    When Brooklyn Beckham publicly announced he didn't want to reconcile with his parents he was joining a painful catalogue of family stories that have gone wrong. 

    Estrangement is reportedly on the rise in Western societies but what's behind it? 

    Dr Joshua Coleman spends his life working with estranged parents so he sees, first hand, the main factors that can lead to it. He highlights that while emotional abuse is often cited as a cause, it's often a matter of unmet expectations and generational differences. 

    Some of the core drivers are divorce, children marrying someone who doesn't get on with your family, social media ideals, therapy culture and individualism. 

    Given that estrangement can be emotionally devastating for parents, leading to feelings of isolation and loss, he advises parents to take their children's complaints seriously and to be open to therapy and family discussions.  

    Dr Joshua Coleman:

    Family Troubles: https://joshuacolemanphd.substack.com/

    https://joshuacolemanphd.substack.com/p/how-to-not-become-estranged

    https://www.drjoshuacoleman.com/

    Teenagers Untangled Community Substack:

    https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/

    Support the show

    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 

    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 

    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/

    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    18 February 2026, 5:00 am
  • 31 minutes 12 seconds
    Body image, and getting teens to do chores. Vintage

    Ask Rachel anything

    For all of the tips click here:

    https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/p/how-to-talk-to-your-teen-about-body

    https://open.substack.com/pub/teenagersuntangled/p/how-to-get-your-kids-to-do-their?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer

    A healthy body image: Feeling happy and satisfied with your body and what it can do. 

    An unhealthy body image: Highly self-critical, comparing their body to others and obsessing about some aspect of it. 

    Beauty and body image are universal triggers for shame. Shame is a deeply painful sensation from the belief that we’re not good enough and will not be accepted by a group.

    Only 5% of American women have the body type that advertising depicts as ideal. People magazine poll found that 80% of women respondents felt insecure when they viewed images of women in TV and films. There’s an entire industry fueling our negative feelings regarding body image.

    Resources:

    https://raisingchildren.net.au/pre-teens/healthy-lifestyle/body-image/body-image-teens
    The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor 
    I Thought it was just me by Brené Brown

    Previous episode:

    https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/104-teen-weight-and-body-image-a-mother-and-daughter-explore-the-issues/

    Chores: 

    Household duties develop a sense of purpose. Lack of purpose is one of the most reported problems in suicidal people. Teens are capable of doing practically any household duty and gives them a sense of belonging to the family team.

    The Gift of Failure Jessica Lahey: Children prefer parents who hold them responsible for not meeting expectations over those who monitor their children. 

    Support the show

    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 

    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 

    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/

    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    11 February 2026, 4:00 am
  • 55 minutes 1 second
    Why teen friendships feel so intense, and the most important thing to say

    Ask Rachel anything

    'Early adolescence is a friendship meat grinder, and your kid will eventually find their people,' according to Megan Saxelby of Wild Feelings. But oh boy it's tough!  

    Megan wants parents to know that using words like “dramatic” to describe genuine social pain can accidentally give us permission to dismiss their emotional reality and teach our kids that their experiences doesn’t deserve to be taken seriously.

    In today’s episode we explore why it hurts so much to watch our child struggle socially, and why our instincts to either dismiss or ‘fix things’ can often make it worse.

    The good news is that there’s new research, by the eminent Dr David Yeager, that shows there’s one thing our kids can learn that can reduce depression in teens by nearly 40%.

    We hear the details and some great tips for us parents on the frontline.

    Megan Saxelby:

    https://wildfeelings.substack.com/ 

    Rachel's Substack:

    https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/

    The Study:

    https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-022-00009-5

    This is such a big topic I have created a lot of content to cover it:

    https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/boy-friendships-and-supporting-our-sons-in-forming-positive-friendships-also-what-the-we-sho-1/

    https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/114-friendships-frenemies-and-boy-banter-parenting-our-teens-through-the-relationship-pitfalls/

    https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/puberty-toxic-friendships-pick-me-girls-top-tips-for-parenting-teenagers-from-teenagers-147/

    https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/top-friendship-tips-for-teen-girls-lessons-from-real-life-sisters/

    https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/139-preparing-for-secondary-school-friendship-groups-and-those-awkward-talks-about-porn-and-sexti/

    https://www.teenagersuntangled.com/friendship-girls-and-toxic-groups-also-resilience-how-to-get-your-teen-to-keep-going-instead-of-g/

    Support the show

    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 

    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 

    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/

    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    4 February 2026, 4:00 am
  • 38 minutes 46 seconds
    Positive Parenting: Using Strengths to Motivate and Understand our Kids

    Ask Rachel anything

    We want our kids to do as well as possible, so when they mess up, do dumb things, or seem to be failing, it's easy to focus on their mistakes and what they should do instead. 

    Naomi Glover, a leading applied neuroscientist and brain health specialist, says we'd get the best out of our kids by doing the opposite; focusing on their strengths.

    Coming from a  neurodivergent family, she truly understands the challenges faced by ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurotypes and offers practical, easy-to-use “brain hacks” for things like anxiety, focus, and emotional regulation.

    Naomi believes that once we understand how our brain works, we can work with it—not against it this episode gives us those tips.

    Naomi Glover:

    https://neuro-informed.com

    Find your strengths:

    PARENTS: 

    https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/pro/parentingstrengths/account/register

    UNDER 18'S: https://StrengthBoostU18.pro.viasurvey.org/

    Top tips:

    1. Lead with strengths, not deficits
      • Regularly name what your teen does well (kindness, perseverance, curiosity, humour, etc.) instead of only correcting what’s missing.
    2. Swap judgment for curiosity
      • Use phrases like “I noticed…”, “Tell me more about what happened”, and “What could we do differently next time?” to keep conversations safe and open.
    3. Use recognition as rocket fuel (especially with ADHD/RSD)
      • Give specific, genuine praise:
        • “That was really kind leadership when you…”
        • “I really appreciated you helping with the washing up – that was great teamwork.”
    4. Reduce brain overload with routines and single-tasking
      • Build simple, predictable habits (e.g. “Saturday is bed-linen day”).
      • Avoid multitasking; do one thing at a time and protect focus where possible.
    5. Teach nervous-system resets
      • Use quick tools for you and your teen:
        • Breathing: in for 4, out for 8, 3–5 times.
        • Nature breaks: ~20 minutes outside to reset attention and mood.

    Support the show

    Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. 

    You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. 

    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/
    Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/

    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    28 January 2026, 4:00 am
  • 47 minutes 41 seconds
    Protecting Your Teen Online: What Every Parent Needs to Know

    Ask Rachel anything

    While counseling sex offenders, Anna Sonoda, LCSW learned firsthand that grooming, the prelude to child sexual abuse, is intentional, gradual, and observable. Her message to us is, we're not bad parents, we just have a skills gap and she wants to fill it. 

    I grew up in an era of stranger danger, but the truth is the vast majority of abuse happens inside our homes, online and offline, with people our kids know. So how can we spot the signs that a predator is moving in on us and our kids? 

    Anna says there are clear stages of grooming that, once we know about them, we can intercept. She introduces the "4F formula" for grooming: flattery, favoritism, forbidden fruits, and fear, and stresses the importance of recognizing grooming's subtle signs. Anna advises parents to set clear device usage rules, use parental controls, and maintain open communication with their children. She also advocates for delaying social media access until age 16 and emphasizes the role of parents in curating their children's online and offline environments.

    In this episode we cover:

    • What Is Grooming? (And Why Your Gut Isn’t Enough)
    • Who Is at Risk? Myths About “Safe” Communities
    • Online vs Offline Grooming: Why Both Matter
    •  The 4F Formula: Stages of Grooming Parents Need to Know
    • Red Flags of Grooming in Digital Spaces
    • Devices, Social Media and Age: What’s Really Appropriate?
    • Practical House Rules That Reduce Grooming Risk
    • Building “Predator-Proof” Kids Through Connection
    • Reclaiming Parental Leadership in a Tech-Driven World

    Resources:

    Anna Sonoda: www.annasonoda.com

    IWF: https://www.iwf.org.uk/ UK-based for reporting and removing innapropriate images

    Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ For useful and appropriate age guidance

    Predator’s Playground: AI, Gaming, and the Kids at Risk

    https://annasonoda.com/blog/f/predator%E2%80%99s-playground-ai-gaming-and-the-kids-at-risk?blogcategory=Online+safety

    Protecting Families in the Age of AI: 'Take It Down Act'

     https://annasonoda.com/blog/f/protecting-families-in-the-age-of-ai-take-it-down-act?blogcategory=Online+safety

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    Please don't hesitate to seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. There's no shame in reaching out for support. When you look after yourself your entire family benefits.


    My email is [email protected] 
    My website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:
    www.teenagersuntangled.com

    Find me on Substack: https://teenagersuntangled.substack.com/
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    You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

    21 January 2026, 4:00 am
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