When Helping Hurts: Teaching Teens to Carry Their Own Load

When Helping Hurts: Teaching Teens to Carry Their Own Load

From Parenting Today's Teens by Mark Gregston

April 22, 2026 · 23 min · Episode 1523

About this episode

Mark discusses the importance of teaching teens to be responsible and carry their own load, sharing insights from a personal story and biblical principles.

Are you helping your teen — or holding them back? In this episode, Mark shares a powerful story about a young adult unprepared for real life, and the well-meaning parenting that led her there. Drawing from Galatians 6:5, Mark challenges parents to rethink overprotecting, overproviding and over-involving. Because somewhere along the way, every teen must learn to carry their own load. If you’ve ever struggled to know when to step in and when to step back, this episode offers practical wisdom to help you raise responsible, resilient young adults. Learn four ways to foster growth and respect in your teen here: fostering-growth-respect-in-teens Parenting Today's Teens is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit parentingtodayteens.org.

People in this episode

Host: Mark Gregston

Topics covered

  • parenting
  • teen development
  • responsibility
  • resilience
  • overprotection

Keywords

  • parenting
  • teens
  • responsibility
  • overprotecting
  • growth

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Galatians 6:5

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