How to Help Your Teenager Through Dating and Breakups

When your teen falls in love for the first time, or goes through their first heartbreak, it can be emotional for everyone. You want to protect them and guide them, and maybe even stop them from getting hurt. But if we're not careful, our good intentions can push them away.

👉 Want your teen to come to you about dating instead of hiding it? Inside Parenting Teens Academy, parents learn what to say when they're worried about a relationship, how to support their teen through heartbreak, and how to keep the conversation open. Try it free for 7 days

In this episode, I sit down with journalist, professor, and mom Lisa A. Phillips, author of First Love: Guiding Teens Through Relationships and Heartbreak. Lisa shares how to talk to your teen about dating, heartbreak, and red-flag relationships without causing shutdown or secrecy.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• Why teens hide their relationships, and how to keep the conversation open
• How to support your teen through their first heartbreak without minimizing their pain
• What to say when you're worried about who your teen is dating
• Why asking what "dating" means to your teen matters, since it might just mean texting
• How sharing your own relationship experiences can help your teen make better choices

EPISODE CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Teen relationships today
• 02:57 Parents' biggest fears about teen dating
• 06:03 Why validating your teen's feelings matters
• 09:09 Setting boundaries when your teen wants to date
• 11:55 When a relationship takes over
• 14:50 Building self-worth beyond romance
• 17:56 What to do when you don't like who they're dating
• 24:22 Having hard conversations with your teen
• 27:33 How parents influence teen relationships
• 30:19 Handling conflict in teen relationships
• 33:19 Helping your teen through a breakup
• 36:59 Reflecting and growing after heartbreak
• 40:19 How first loves shape future relationships

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• First Love: Guiding Teens Through Relationships and Heartbreak by Lisa A. Phillips

CONNECT WITH LISA A. PHILLIPS

• Website: LisaAmyPhillips.com
• Instagram: @lisaamyphillips18
• Facebook: Lisa A. Phillips
• LinkedIn: Lisa A. Phillips

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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