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When you hear the word teenager, it may strike fear in your heart. If you are dreading the teen years, you're not alone and you don't have to be a helpless bystander. Counselor and author of Parenting Ahead: Preparing for the Teen Years, Kristen Hatton, is here to teach us what we can do today to prepare well for tomorrow. In today's conversation, you'll learn:

2:45 How to prepare for the teen years so you can prevent unnecessary heartbreak

4:00 When parents never say “I’m sorry”

5:38 How to find the happy medium of discipline and independence

6:45 Teens will be teens, isn’t that right?

8:05 I was the queen of nagging (but I thought I was being helpful)

9:25 Seeing the fine line of overparenting

11:30 Also being wary of underparenting

14:30 Making parenting our golden calf idol

16:00 Redemption parenting when responding to your child vaping

18:50 Sponsoring activities for your kids is different than connection

21:51 Can your child/teen describe the gospel to someone else?

26:25 How parenting is like farming

Kristen Hatton is a counselor and author. Through counseling so many teens and their parents, she became passionate about equipping and encouraging parents. She and her husband have three young adult children, Her new book is titled Parenting Ahead: Preparing for the Teen Years.

Learn more about Kristen Hatton and her book here kristenhatton.com

Follow Kristen on Instagram @redemptiveparenting

Take the free quiz, Is Your Child Getting Too Much Screen Time, here happyhomeuniversity.com

More Resources for Your Family:

Arlene's Free Marriage Webinar -- Get Unstuck in Your Marriage. If you feel stuck in a rut or you've just lost that lovin' feeling, register for Arlene's free marriage webinar.

Subscribe to Arlene's free email list for a monthly resource to help your home. happyhomeuniversity.com/subscribe

Watch a VIDEO clip from the podcast on Arlene's new Happy Home YouTube Channel @arlenehappyhome

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.