"Somebody said opinions are like armpits. Everybody has two of them, and they both stink." Mark Gregston makes the case for giving your teen your perspective instead of your opinion, especially when they're facing loss. A public figure dies. A friend, a friend's parent, a pastor. Your teen will meet grief, and they need to hear that it's okay to grieve, okay to feel the loss, and that God protects us over time. Your job in that conversation is to make your child feel safe.

For more resources for parenting teens, go to parentingtodaysteens.org.

Mark Gregston has a question for parents, and he suggests asking your teen directly: do you feel that I value you, or am I just trying to control your behavior so the house stays calm? All behavior is goal-oriented. When a child acts out, they want something they don't have, and the parent may be the one missing it. Mark talks openly about what he missed with his own kids during their high school years, his daughter's struggle with an eating disorder, his son's drinking, and his own part in it.

For more resources for parenting teens, go to parentingtodaysteens.org.

Mark Gregston's grandparents were good people, but distant. He missed out on the wisdom they could have passed down. So when his daughter told him he was going to be a granddad, he decided to do it differently. He wanted his grandkids to remember laughter in his kitchen, stories on the back porch, and a granddad who showed up. In this Minute with Mark, he shares how that one decision changed his schedule, his praise, and how long he was willing to listen.

For more resources for parenting and grandparenting teens, visit parentingtodaysteens.org.

You're busy keeping the household running and making sure your teen has what they need. But the thing they need most is you. In this minute, Mark Gregston reminds parents that the teen years feel endless right up until they're over, and that a parent who isn't intentional about pursuing the relationship can get quietly pushed out as their teen's world gets bigger. Give them your time now. Make the memories while you still can.

Find more free resources, articles, and podcasts for parents of teens at ParentingTodaysTeens.org.