Mark Gregston
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Mark Gregston is an author, speaker, national radio host, and the founder of Heartlight (http://www.heartlightministries.org), a residential counseling opportunity for struggling teenagers.

  • How to Reduce Negative Peer Pressure

    June 03rd, 201105:27 PM ET
    By Mark Gregston
    Sometimes we think of peer pressure as something that only affects our kids. But it is a natural part of our makeup, and it affects us all. I visited a Harley rally not too long ago. Now, I’m in my 50s, and there were a lot of guys there even older than me. (Really.) I can tell you that I saw evidence of peer pressure there too, everywhere. Peop...

  • Relieving Anger and Tension in the Home

    June 03rd, 201105:21 PM ET
    By Mark Gregston
    It’s important that our homes be a place where everyone can release their tension in appropriate ways and find a respite and relief. If not, your teens will find ways to self-medicate the tension away through drugs, alcohol, promiscuity or self-harm. The pressures of their world are far greater than when we were kids, so let me share with you so...

  • Teaching Teens to Refuse Alcohol

    June 03rd, 201105:14 PM ET
    By Mark Gregston
    Recently I read an article about a new trend in America—parents allowing their teens to drink at home. Apparently, the idea behind this is that drinking in the home setting will demystify alcohol and help the young people learn to drink responsibly. Before I tell you what I think about that trend, let me share this fact with you. 11% of the alco...

  • When Teens Seem Ungrateful

    June 03rd, 201104:59 PM ET
    By Mark Gregston
    “I can do this on my own!” “I don’t need your help!” “Quit treating me like a child!” How do you respond to statements like these from your teenager? Do they upset you, or do you see these as signs of a necessary process taking place? Rather than considering them a slap in the face from an ungrateful or rebellious child, I encour...

  • Is Your Teenager’s Behavior Normal?

    April 08th, 201108:50 PM ET
    By Mark Gregston
    The culture has changed, but teenagers haven’t.  They are still focused on trying to fit in with their peers and to make sense out of life.  But parents can get confused by their changes in attitude and the independence they seek, assuming their teenager is becoming rebellious. It’s normal for teenagers to fail to do their chores wit...

  • Conflict With Your Teenager

    April 08th, 201108:39 PM ET
    By Mark Gregston
    When parents avoid conflict with their teenager, they are avoiding some of the greatest teaching opportunities they will ever have. Does anyone like conflict?  No. It’s not a fun or enjoyable experience; however it is necessary, and if used properly, conflict can be a precursor to change. It’s very unlikely that a lasting change will come...

  • Teens Caught in a Digital World

    March 24th, 201112:31 AM ET
    By Mark Gregston
    Laptops, iPhones, iPads, iPods, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Yourspace, IM, Droids, apps, downloads, wireless, 3G, 4G, iTunes, Blackberry, bluetooth, Xbox, Wii…everything about how we engage with and communicate with other people has changed. It can be overwhelming. And perhaps the most dramatic impact of all this “progress” on our teenagers...

  • Developing Responsibility in Your Teen

    March 23rd, 201103:14 PM ET
    By Mark Gregston
    I have a word of advice that is applicable to almost every parent of a teenager in today’s world. Stop! More specifically, stop doing so many things for your teen. By doing too much, you are likely stifling their motivation, limiting their creativity, promoting irresponsibility and postponing maturity. You may even be taking away the sense of ...

  • Empower Your Teen

    February 25th, 201107:02 PM ET
    By Mark Gregston
    Do you remember teaching your child to drive a car? How could you forget? Did you ever grab the steering wheel to keep your rookie driver from hitting another car…or a tree…or a mailbox…or a kid on a bike?  Hopefully that didn’t happen too often—it’s bad for the blood pressure and the insurance rates! While there may be rare momen...

  • Encouragement for Single Parents with Teenagers

    February 09th, 201108:21 PM ET
    By Mark Gregston
    One of the toughest roles anyone can have in today’s culture is that of a single parent.  It’s hard enough to rear a child—especially a teenager—with two parents; but with one the burdens and pressures and problems multiply.  My hat is off to every single parent.  But more than praise for the difficulty of their task, I know ...
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About this blog
Here you will find parenting tips from experts on building a healthy family.