Why Your Teen Hides Things From You (and What to Do So They Stop)

Is your teen hiding things from you? It can feel like the tighter we hold on, the faster they pull away. Strict rules, phone bans, and grounding can seem like the safest way to protect our teens. But often they just teach teens to hide things better.

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In this episode, I sit down with Zara Kadir, a child, adolescent, and family psychotherapist, parenting coach, and mom of two. Zara explains why teens don't dislike us, they dislike having an agenda pushed into every interaction. We talk about why taking the phone often backfires, what to say instead of an automatic "no," and how to respond to mistakes so your teen keeps telling you the truth.

Your job isn't to stop your teen from making mistakes. It's to be the person they call when they do. Teens need a safe home base, a place they can explore from and always come back to.

 

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Why teens hide things from their parents, and what works better than more rules
• What to say instead of an automatic "no"
• Why taking the phone away often backfires, and how to work together instead
• How to respond to mistakes so your teen keeps telling you the truth
• How to rebuild trust if you've been leaning on control

 

EPISODE CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Meet Zara Kadir
• 02:47 What parents get wrong about teens
• 05:01 Why overprotecting teens backfires
• 07:02 How to change course as a parent
• 09:39 Parenting in the digital age
• 12:18 Supporting your teen's identity and exploration
• 15:24 Handling teen behavior without overreacting
• 18:09 How the teen brain makes decisions
• 20:09 Supporting teens through mistakes
• 22:09 Creating a safe space to explore
• 23:10 Balancing freedom and connection
• 24:22 Owning your parenting mistakes
• 25:00 The power of a thoughtful response
• 26:19 Understanding teen brain development
• 27:23 Teaching respect and empathy online
• 28:09 How to start changing your relationship
• 29:08 Getting into your teen's interests
• 30:09 Why the relationship comes first
• 31:04 Collaborative parenting and dialogue
• 32:00 Resources and final tips

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Zara's courses on awkward conversations (puberty, periods, porn, and more): use code CAM for 20% off

 

CONNECT WITH ZARA KADIR

• Instagram: @thetherapyshed

 

CONNECT WITH DR. CAM CASWELL

• Website: AskDrCam.com
• Instagram: @DrCamCaswell
• Parenting Teens Academy

 

ABOUT THE SHOW

Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam is hosted by Dr. Cam Caswell, an adolescent psychologist and certified parenting coach. Each episode gives you practical strategies, expert advice, and real-world insight to build a stronger relationship with your teen.

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