Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens

You check your phone and your teen's location is off again. Are they okay? Are they hiding something? …And should you even be tracking them in the first place?

In this week's episode, Dr. Lisa and Reena dig into one of the most common standoffs happening in homes with teenagers right now: location sharing. A dad writes in about his 16-year-old son, who has started turning off his location. The kid wants privacy and autonomy. The dad just wants to sleep at night. Who’s right here?

💡 YOU'LL LEARN:

- What tracking your teen is really about: peace of mind or safety?

- What's really going on psychologically when teens turn off their location

- How to have an honest, non-combative conversation with your teen about location sharing

- Practical compromises that protect your sanity without damaging your relationship

We'd love to hear from you: Are you currently tracking your teen? And how are they handling it?

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Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens is the essential podcast for parents seeking expert guidance, tested strategies, and psychological insights on raising kids, especially tweens and teens. Join renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour and former journalist and mom of two Reena Ninan as they explore real-life parenting challenges.  Looking to learn more about how to boost kids’ resilience, build their confidence, or support their emotional well-being? Dr. Lisa and Reena have got you covered! Together they address listener questions about stress, anxiety, social media concerns, school pressures, and challenges in peer relationships. Each episode provides practical advice and science-backed solutions to help parents raise resilient, confident, and emotionally healthy kids. Tune in every week for the latest topics in parenting, child psychology, and family wellness. Get answers to your most pressing parenting questions. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

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If your teen texts "I want to unalive myself" or "kms," should you be worried?

The frightening topic of teen suicide is made worse by confusing headlines, evolving slang, and the fear of saying the wrong thing. But here's what you need to know: the research is cautiously hopeful, you have more power than you think, and asking direct questions saves lives.

In this essential episode, Dr. Lisa Damour and Reena Ninan sit down with Dr. Jonathan B. Singer, one of the country's leading experts on youth suicide prevention to hear what parents need to know right now.

💡 YOU'LL LEARN:

- The real warning signs to watch for

- How to ask your child directly about thoughts of self-harm or suicide

- The difference between normal sadness and clinical depression

- When to seek help

- How to use AI tools like ChatGPT safely as a parent resource

This is a conversation every parent of a tween or teen needs to hear to move from fear and confusion to clarity and action.

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Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens is the essential podcast for parents seeking expert guidance, tested strategies, and psychological insights on raising kids, especially tweens and teens. Join renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour and former journalist and mom of two Reena Ninan as they explore real-life parenting challenges.  Looking to learn more about how to boost kids’ resilience, build their confidence, or support their emotional well-being? Dr. Lisa and Reena have got you covered! Together they address listener questions about stress, anxiety, social media concerns, school pressures, and challenges in peer relationships. Each episode provides practical advice and science-backed solutions to help parents raise resilient, confident, and emotionally healthy kids. Tune in every week for the latest topics in parenting, child psychology, and family wellness. Get answers to your most pressing parenting questions. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

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Podcast keywords: ask lisa podcast, dr lisa damour, reena ninan, psychology, parenting, podcast, teens, tweens, parenting teens, parenting tweens, teen parenting, tween parenting, parenting tips, parenting advice, positive parenting, parenting podcast, teen behavior, tween challenges, raising tweens, raising teens, parenting hacks, parenting help, family dynamics, kids podcast, mental health, teen mental health, attachment styles, emotional intelligence

Is your teen too obsessed with their girlfriend or boyfriend? Constant texting, ditching friends, and living on their phone. Perhaps you're watching them disappear into this relationship and you don't know what to do.

If you're worried your teen's relationship is too intense and wondering how to talk to them about healthy balance without pushing them away, this episode is for you.

Dr. Lisa Damour and Reena Ninan tackle a question from a mom whose high school son is texting his girlfriend 24/7, barely seeing his friends anymore, and disappearing onto what Lisa calls a "relationship island." Sound familiar?

If you're wondering how to manage your teen's dating relationship without making things worse, or you're seeing your teen losing friends because of their relationship, this episode is for you.

💡 IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL DISCOVER:

- Why today's teen relationships are more consuming than the ones we had

- The real danger: Why teen isolation from friends is the biggest risk

- Where you actually have power as a parent

- The #1 mistake that backfires every time

- What to say (and NOT say) when the relationship ends and your teen is devastated

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Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens is the essential podcast for parents seeking expert guidance, tested strategies, and psychological insights on raising kids, especially tweens and teens. Join renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour and former journalist and mom of two Reena Ninan as they explore real-life parenting challenges.  Looking to learn more about how to boost kids’ resilience, build their confidence, or support their emotional well-being? Dr. Lisa and Reena have got you covered! Together they address listener questions about stress, anxiety, social media concerns, school pressures, and challenges in peer relationships. Each episode provides practical advice and science-backed solutions to help parents raise resilient, confident, and emotionally healthy kids. Tune in every week for the latest topics in parenting, child psychology, and family wellness. Get answers to your most pressing parenting questions. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

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Is your teen’s snark just “normal attitude”… or could it be something more serious?

If you’re walking on eggshells around a constantly irritable, sarcastic teenager and wondering whether this is just adolescence or a red flag not to ignore, you’re not alone. In this episode of Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens, Dr. Lisa Damour helps parents make sense of the exhausting, confusing reality of teen snark and explains when it may actually be a sign of depression that needs real attention.

Drawing on decades of clinical experience working with adolescents and families, Dr. Lisa breaks down why depression often looks very different in teens than it does in adults, and how easy it is to miss when irritability gets written off as “typical teen behavior.” Alongside co-host Reena Ninan, she offers clear, grounded guidance for parents who are worried, worn down, and unsure what to do next.

💡 YOU’LL LEARN:

- Why teen depression often shows up as snark, hostility, and irritability

- How to tell the difference between normal teen attitude and mood changes that are concerning

- How phone use and sleep deprivation and can worsen or mimic depression

- Why meaningful busyness and structure can improve mood and reduce irritability

- When it’s important not to “wait it out” and move toward professional evaluation and support

If you’re dealing with a snarky teenager, this episode will help you feel more confident, informed, and grounded in your next steps—while keeping your teen’s long-term wellbeing front and center.

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Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens is the essential podcast for parents seeking expert guidance, tested strategies, and psychological insights on raising kids, especially tweens and teens. Join renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour and former journalist and mom of two Reena Ninan as they explore real-life parenting challenges.  Looking to learn more about how to boost kids’ resilience, build their confidence, or support their emotional well-being? Dr. Lisa and Reena have got you covered! Together they address listener questions about stress, anxiety, social media concerns, school pressures, and challenges in peer relationships. Each episode provides practical advice and science-backed solutions to help parents raise resilient, confident, and emotionally healthy kids. Tune in every week for the latest topics in parenting, child psychology, and family wellness. Get answers to your most pressing parenting questions. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

________________

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What would YOU do if you discovered your tween or teen was reading explicit fan fiction online?

Today’s kids are often learning about sexuality through the internet, often long before parents realize it. How you respond can either shut down communication or open the door to thoughtful, values-based conversations that actually stick.

In this episode of Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens, clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour and journalist Reena Ninan tackle a question many parents are asking: Should we be worried about our kids reading explicit fan fiction? 

💡 YOU’LL LEARN:

- Why reading explicit fan fiction can be a common, developmentally typical form of exploration

- How to talk with your teen about sexual content without shaming or lecturing

- How to share your family’s values around healthy intimacy in ways teens can hear

- When (and how) to set boundaries without damaging trust

- The surprising upsides of fan fiction

If you’re feeling confused, uneasy, or unsure about what your kid is encountering online, this episode offers calm, practical guidance to help you stay connected and parent with confidence.

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Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Tweens & Teens is the essential podcast for parents seeking expert guidance, tested strategies, and psychological insights on raising kids, especially tweens and teens. Join renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Damour and former journalist and mom of two Reena Ninan as they explore real-life parenting challenges.  Looking to learn more about how to boost kids’ resilience, build their confidence, or support their emotional well-being? Dr. Lisa and Reena have got you covered! Together they address listener questions about stress, anxiety, social media concerns, school pressures, and challenges in peer relationships. Each episode provides practical advice and science-backed solutions to help parents raise resilient, confident, and emotionally healthy kids. Tune in every week for the latest topics in parenting, child psychology, and family wellness. Get answers to your most pressing parenting questions. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

________________

Episode keywords: teens, fan fiction, explicit content, family communication, online safety, romantasy

Podcast keywords: ask lisa podcast, dr lisa damour, reena ninan, psychology, parenting, podcast, teens, tweens, parenting teens, parenting tweens, teen parenting, tween parenting, parenting tips, parenting advice, positive parenting, parenting podcast, teen behavior, tween challenges, raising tweens, raising teens, parenting hacks, parenting help, family dynamics, kids podcast, mental health, teen mental health, attachment styles, emotional intelligence