Feeding The Mouth That Bites You: Parenting Teens Into Adulthood – Details, episodes & analysis

Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! Cynthia and Dr. Ken kick off the year by ditching the pressure of New Year’s resolutions and instead encouraging parents to look at their parenting trajectory—if nothing changes, is that a good thing or not so much? 

Dr. Ken shares three foundational areas parents should revisit as the year begins—places that often create the most tension at home and the most confusion for parents trying to do the right thing. Along the way, they address control, conflict, and the emotional weight parents carry when things aren’t going smoothly with their teens.

Today’s show ends with an important reminder: your child’s choices are not a report card on your worth as a parent. Tune in today for a few thoughts on where to focus as we parent teens in the New Year.

If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners. 

You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here

You can order Cynthia's book "Life Is Messy, God Is Good" here

You can pre-order Cynthia's book "How'd I Miss That" here

 

 

Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com 

Music provided by the great John David Kent - https://www.johndavidkent.com/

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This week on the show, Cynthia and Dr. Ken dig into the age-old issue of entitlement—how it shows up in American culture and how it shapes our teens. They talk about the everyday behaviors that reveal deeper beliefs about self-respect, responsibility, and personal standards.

Dr. Ken explains why raising kids who expect rewards without effort creates long-term problems, especially when it comes to character, resilience, and financial responsibility. Together, he and Cynthia unpack how well-intentioned parents can unintentionally undermine gratitude by giving too much without teaching kids how to earn, wait, or steward what they’ve been given.

They also explore the power of perspective—how serving others, seeing real-world needs, and broadening kids’ experiences can dramatically reduce entitlement and build empathy. The episode wraps with a practical reminder: gratitude and responsibility don’t happen by accident—they’re taught, and they stick best when kids see their parents modeling them first.

 

If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners. 

You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here

You can order Cynthia's book "Life Is Messy, God Is Good" here

You can pre-order Cynthia's book "How'd I Miss That" here

 

 

Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com 

Music provided by the great John David Kent - https://www.johndavidkent.com/

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week on Feeding the Mouth That Bites You, Dr. Ken unpacks a word every parent has heard lately—dysregulation—and what it really looks like in teenagers. Spoiler: it’s not always as clinical or mysterious as it sounds. Sometimes it’s just what we used to call “spiraling” or “losing it.”

 

We talk about how to tell the difference between a teen who’s simply being disrespectful and one who’s truly overwhelmed by emotion, and why calling everything “dysregulation” can actually make parenting harder. Dr. Ken breaks down what’s happening when your teen crosses that line from moody to out-of-control, why they can usually hold it together outside the home, and what to do when they can’t.

 

We also get real about what happens when we join the chaos. If you’ve ever found yourself matching your teen’s energy (or volume), this conversation will give you a few tools—and probably a laugh—to help you step back and respond differently. It’s a practical, hope-filled episode for every parent navigating big emotions, slammed doors, and late-night drama.

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Is there ever a time when parents should send their teenager to a psychiatric facility? (Please don't call them "mental hospitals") Today we discuss the situations that require parents to consider having their adolescent evaluated for psychiatric hospitalization. We also cover when parents might need to consider long-term, residential treatment as well as the negative effects of NOT considering hospitalization when it's really needed. Join us on Patreon for bonus content and more: https://www.patreon.com/FeedingTheMouthThatBitesYou Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Mouth-That-Bites-You/dp/1514762374/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1667269257&sr=8-1

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This week Dr. Ken gets honest with Jessica and Ashley's husbands, Charlie and Brett. Dad's have a different take on parenting and we dive into that as well as what it's like to have wives who already "know all this stuff." Brett and Charlie get honest about what they like and DON'T like about Feeding The Mouth That Bites You. This is only a taste of the full interview where we cover fathering teenage boys vs. girls, grandparent involvement, handling disagreements with your wife and much more. For the full interview go to our Patreon website at: https://www.patreon.com/FeedingTheMouthThatBitesYou Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Mouth-That-Bites-You/dp/1514762374/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1667269257&sr=8-1

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We've already talked about sibling rivalry (see episode 24) but today we talk about teenagers' relationships with siblings in general. How can parents cultivate good relationships between their children? What are ways that parents inadvertently discourage mature relationships between siblings? And, as always, what are some particular aspects of the adolescent phase of development that make this hard? Are there aspects of adolescence that parents can use to their advantage in helping sibling relationships? Join us on Patreon for bonus content and more: https://www.patreon.com/FeedingTheMouthThatBitesYou Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Mouth-That-Bites-You/dp/1514762374/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1667269257&sr=8-1

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What do you do when you implement Planned Emancipation but things don't seem to be getting any better? It's not uncommon that we hear from parents who feel that Feeding The Mouth parenting isn't making the kind of difference they were expecting. To address this, Dr. Ken clarifies what kind of expectations are realistic for Feeding The Mouth parenting. Also, we focus on the intangibles that can cause teenagers to still feel over-controlled even though parents are trying to give freedoms. So, take a deep breath, Feeding The Mouth parenting isn't always an overnight "fix" but remains an essential adjustment to your household in a culture that has no idea how to translate children into adulthood. Join us on Patreon for bonus content and more: https://www.patreon.com/FeedingTheMouthThatBitesYou Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Mouth-That-Bites-You/dp/1514762374/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1667269257&sr=8-1

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In the 1950s, British pediatrician and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott introduced the concept of "good enough" parenting and Dr. Ken thinks it's time we brought it back! Parents worry so much about doing parenting "right" and put a lot of pressure on themselves. Even worse, there's this idea that maybe there's some book that you haven't read that tells you how to raise your kids "the right way." Dr. Ken doesn't believe that "perfect parenting" book exists and "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" is not that book either. All parents do things they shouldn't have done and fail to do things they should have done and yet they've done their job well enough for their kids to succeed. Parents' over-focus on their own parenting failures runs the risk of disrespecting their teens who are old enough to make their own mistakes. Join us on Patreon for bonus content and more: https://www.patreon.com/FeedingTheMouthThatBitesYou Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Mouth-That-Bites-You/dp/1514762374/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1667269257&sr=8-1

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Today we take on the sometimes scary topic of sleepovers with teenagers. Strangely, many parents are less concerned about sleepovers when their kids are younger only to "shut it down" when they become teenagers. What kind of boundaries are reasonable for teenagers wanting to spend the night with friends? Although it's becoming more common, is it ever ok to allow boys and girls to spend the night? What do you do when you know that your teen or their friend has declared themselves to be gay or bisexual? Wouldn't it just be easier to declare a moratorium on the whole thing? Join us on Patreon for bonus content and more: https://www.patreon.com/FeedingTheMouthThatBitesYou Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Mouth-That-Bites-You/dp/1514762374/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1667269257&sr=8-1

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How Does Feeding The Mouth parenting work in different cultures? Today we talk about the expectations that immigrant parents bring with them to a new culture and how that impacts parenting. Also, we discuss taking Feeding The Mouth parenting with you into a different culture from your own. How can parents maintain impact on their teenagers when the culture around them is changing so fast? Join us on Patreon for bonus content and more: https://www.patreon.com/FeedingTheMouthThatBitesYou Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com Get the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Feeding-Mouth-That-Bites-You/dp/1514762374/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1667269257&sr=8-1

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