10 Most Popular Parenting Articles on Moms of Tweens and Teens

The Moms of Tweens and Teens team and I love providing content for you that is educational, insightful, informative, and encouraging. It is always our hope that after you read anything we publish on our site, you leave with helpful advice and affirming reassurance. My goal is to help you grow into the best mom you can be.

Through 2023, we’ve shared countless personal stories and reflections of real-life moms, and I’ve also added important parenting guides, worksheets, and articles. It is my greatest honor to do the work that I do in offering the support, advice, and parenting tools you need. After all, I don’t think there is anything more important in our lives than raising our kids to be healthy and well while also making sure we take care of ourselves!

As we look back on this year of content, it’s so fun to see what you’ve read the most! We always want to continue to learn what resonates with your heart and what helps you in your parenting, too. So, without further ado, here are the 10 most popular parenting articles on Moms of Tweens and Teens, counting down from 10 to 1!

#10. 4 Things You Should Know -From A Middle School Teacher

Dear Moms~

I’m in the middle of my 26th year of teaching 8th-grade reading and writing. Believe it or not, I honestly love teaching 14-year-olds. And I’m super blessed because a ridiculously high number of my colleagues also genuinely enjoy the challenges of teaching middle school to on-the-cusp teens. Teachers are always revved up to make each semester another fabulous term of learning and growth for your kids.

And we know we can’t do it alone. Here are the top ways we need moms to help us help your kids. Read more HERE.

#9. I Am Not That Mom

I sometimes wished I was that mom who spoke in a soft and calm voice. I am not.

I sometimes wished I was the mom that planned elaborate parties. I am not.

I sometimes wished I was that mom that had the entire year organized. I am not.

I sometimes wished I was the mom that said, “Golly gee kids!” I am not.

I tried. I tried for a long time to be “that mom” I thought I was supposed to be. I looked around and saw everyone doing it better than me. How easy it is to get caught up in the comparison game. It is so exhausting trying to be something you are not. So I stopped. Read more HERE.

#8. Dear Teen Boy, Here’s Why Your Mom Freaks Out All The Time

Dear teen boy,

Hey there! If you’re reading this, I’m sure your mom sent this for you to read, and I’m also pretty sure you are rolling your eyes right about now, ready to scan through this quickly and get on with more important things. But before you move on to TikTok, Snap, Insta, or whatever video game you’re into these days, I want you to try really hard to stick with me here.

You see, I know your mom drives you crazy sometimes. I know she can be frustrating, dramatic, and annoying. But I hope you’d like some advice on how to handle her and get along better with her when you think she’s being ridiculous. I will make this fairly easy for you. And I’ll try to explain to you, as best I can, why all this matters. Read more HERE.

#7. Here’s Why Your Teenager Is Forgetful, Impulsive, and Irrational

Have you ever looked at your kid and wondered, “What in the world were you thinking?!” Perhaps it was an ill-thought-out “adventure” that went terribly wrong, a poorly timed comment, or just a total disregard for rational thought. Whatever the case, we have all been there, staring at our teen with dumbfounded looks that these children we have worked so hard to teach and train could possibly be so… inept. But take comfort, my friend, your teen is not the only one. In fact, it has very little to do with your individual kid or the countless time you have spent trying to raise them and almost entirely to do with the fact that the adolescent brain is under major construction. It’s a lot like trying to use a Port-A-Potty. All the necessary essentials appear to be there, but the lack of actual substantial materials leaves you with a lot of strange smells, bumping into things, and treacherous balancing acts, and you walk away wishing you could bathe yourself in GermX and just forget the whole experience.

Our teenagers are attempting to take on life with a large and important part of their reasoning ability underdeveloped. It’s no wonder they are fumbling around and driving us crazy in the process. Our kids aren’t intentionally being forgetful, impulsive, or irrational. They simply can’t help the fact that brains don’t fully develop until around age 25.

So, what does this mean for you? Read more HERE.

#6. 16 Things Your Teen Son Won’t Tell You

I didn’t know how to connect with him. If I gave him space, I felt like I was neglecting him or failing to meet his needs as his mother. If I asked what was wrong I felt like I was instantaneously overbearing. It took a concerted effort to hide my overwhelming sense of relief and happiness when he opened up about himself or needed me in some way. I felt giddy when he’d tell me about his day and felt scared he’d smell my glee and retreat back into his teenage solitude.

If you have an adolescent son, you know what I’m talking about. I needed to honor his growth process and learn new ways to connect with him.

Other moms ask me the same question, “How do I connect with my son now that our relationship is changing?” or “How do I get my teen boy to talk to me?”

I asked my twenty-four-year-old son to reflect on what he wanted and needed when he was a teenager.

Here are his answers. Read more HERE.

#5. Dear Kids, This Is Why Your Mom Worries About You All The Time

Whether you are a tween, teen, or even a young adult, I want you to understand a few things about your mom. I know she worries about you all the time, and you don’t really get why. I’m sure that all her questions about every.single.thing. in your life can be exhausting and sometimes even irritating, no matter how old you are.

You might think that she doesn’t believe you are capable of doing things successfully, or she doesn’t trust you will make good decisions on your own. All her worrying can really confuse you and make you doubt that she believes in you, too. Other times, you might be completely surprised at how she cries over all your accomplishments or squeals with delight over things you think aren’t worth celebrating. I know it feels a bit overwhelming when your mom freaks out all the time and seems so concerned about everything you’re going through and all that you’re doing.

But there are reasons why she’s always worrying, and so invested in making sure you are okay. There are valid explanations for why she gets so excited about your endeavors and achievements and can be anxious about your challenges and setbacks, too. Read more HERE.

#4. 10 Things You Need To Know When Your Son Goes Through Puberty

It seems there is a lot of talk in parenting circles around the topic of female adolescents going through the perils of puberty. We hear a lot about the changes girls face. Budding breasts and expanding curves, the emotional rollercoaster of emotions, and the biggie: their period.

But raising boys through puberty requires a certain parenting bravado, too, since what is changing in their bodies, moods, and feelings about themselves can be equally intimidating. After all, becoming a man is just as challenging as becoming a woman.

I can’t remember the exact day my son hit puberty, it seemed like it would never happen and then it hit me when I wasn’t looking.

Honestly as prepared as I thought I was, I clearly didn’t know anything. Read more HERE.

#3. My Daughter Confessed To Vaping, and This Is What I Said

My daughter comes home from high school football games, always excited to share all the crazy ways the kids celebrate the spirit of the game in the student section. She’s often covered with colored powder, sweaty, and smiling with stories and selfies that reflect all the fun.

This particular night, she walked through the door with the same energetic smile and said how much fun she had once again, but then she turned to me with a more serious look and said, “Mom, I have to tell you something.”

My immediate response was a panicked, “Oh, no! What happened?” Read more HERE.

#2. 9 Things A Teen Boy Wants His Mom To Know

Rarely do we talk about how painful it is as a mom when our sons begin to put some necessary distance between us, and we realize that we need to begin to let go in order for our sons to become young men.

When my son began to inch toward high school, I became increasingly aware that our relationship was changing. Not only did I realize that our relationship was changing, I knew it needed to change, and that was the brutal part.

When he was young, I knew the dance steps. We’d cuddle and read books and go to the grocery store together. He’d follow me around, hang out with me in the kitchen, and share all about his day. As he got older, he began to pull away, and he didn’t want to hang out with me and talk quite as much. Reading books and cuddling on the couch was no longer appropriate. It was painful (heartbreaking, really). Read more HERE.

Dear teen son,

There are many different skills you’ll need to learn during these pivotal years that will help you be responsible and successful when you’re on your own. You know we are pretty intent on teaching you the values and virtues we uphold in our family, and seeing you demonstrate them in your choices every day brings me so much joy. Being a teen can be hard, and I am so proud of who you are growing up to be.

There is, however, one area we need to address that I’ve seen other teen boys struggle with, too. It’s your (in)ability to demonstrate basic interpersonal skills when you are engaging with other people. Of course, conversations with your friends will be different, but when you are communicating with anyone else, especially adults, you need to practice good people skills to do it well. This will require some effort and discomfort on your part. I know it doesn’t come naturally. I get that. I really do. It’s just not your thing, and really, I believe most kids your age feel the same way, especially boys. Read more HERE.

There you have it! Our 10 most popular parenting articles on Moms of Tweens and Teens! We sure hope all our content offers you the much-needed guidance, education, affirmation, and encouragement you deserve!