If there are three things teenagers tell me in my office that they wish their parents understood, it’s this:

1) “I’m trying harder than you think in school.”

2) “Video games are more than just wasting time.”

3) “My phone isn’t just a screen, it’s my lifeline”.

For many parents, poor grades, video games, and cell phones can feel very frustrating and confusing at the same time. But sometimes, it can make a parent hypervigilant. But for many teenagers, they are often interconnected with pressure, identity, and a way to escape reality. How can we pause to take a moment and see it from both sides, rather than arguing, saying, “I am the parent and what I say goes!” We need to understand each other, both as parents and as teenagers, especially since neurodivergence plays a huge part in this.

In today’s episode ...