What It’s Like to Be a Teenager Right Now: Pressure, Comparison, and Technology Boundaries (With Our Kids, Duke and Scarlet)
The Intentional Parents Podcast
Intentional
4.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 24 December 2025
⏱️ 98 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this special end-of-year episode, we’re joined by our two oldest kids — Duke (16) and Scarlet (13) — for an honest, funny, and unfiltered conversation about what it’s really like to be a teenager right now. From public high school to middle school in a Christian co-op, they share what daily life looks like in their worlds, complete with sibling jokes, family banter, and plenty of real-life messiness.
We talk about the unique pressure of growing up as the kids of parents who lead a family ministry — the sense of being watched, the expectation to perform, and how that shapes their experience. Duke and Scarlet also open up about social pressures, anxiety, comparison, cancel culture, gossip, and the high standards — especially for girls — around appearance and image, even beyond social media. Throughout the conversation, we return to deeper truths about identity, insecurity, and remembering that we are God’s beautiful handiwork.
We also discuss technology and social media, including how boundaries around technology have affected them and what’s been most helpful from a parenting perspective. The episode wraps up with a lighthearted bonus question: what they love and don’t love about each of us as parents — a reminder that our family is far from perfect.
Our hope is that this conversation encourages you to keep showing up with humility, curiosity, and trust in God’s steady work in your family. Merry Christmas!
Books Mentioned: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalparents.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.
Intentional’s Year-End Match Campaign: Every $25 equips a family for a full year of spiritual formation. All gifts given through December 31 are matched up to $200,000. Make a donation to double your impact!
Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CA
Intentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TN
Follow Us on Instagram:
FREE Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Parenting PDF
FREE Text Message Daily Devotional
Raising Passionate Jesus Followers
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hey friends, it's Brooke. Before we get into today's conversation, I want to invite you into something important. |
| 0:06.6 | We're stepping into our year-end campaign and a small group of generous donors have given $200,000 to match every gift in December. |
| 0:15.1 | That means whatever you give this month is doubled. And every $25 equips one family for a full year of spiritual formation. |
| 0:23.3 | We also have early bird registration open for the intentional motherhood retreat in Franklin, Tennessee, |
| 0:28.6 | April 23rd through 25th, 26. Sign up now. And for the father's group rates are live right |
| 0:35.0 | now for the intentional fatherhood retreat in Costa Mesa, |
| 0:38.2 | February 19 through 21, 2026. And last thing, my new book, Sowing a Hidden Seed, Daily |
| 0:44.0 | Prayers for Your Child's Spiritual Growth is officially out and available only on our website. |
| 0:48.8 | So go grab a copy now. All right, let's get into this week's episode. |
| 0:56.4 | You're listening to the Intentional Parents podcast, brought to you by Intentional. |
| 1:01.5 | Intentional is all about spiritual formation in the family. |
| 1:05.4 | We desire to bring biblical hope and practical hope. |
| 1:08.8 | Enjoy this week's conversation. |
| 1:16.2 | Thank you. Hope and Practical Hope. Enjoy this week's conversation. I think we should switch roles. |
| 1:17.9 | I think I should be like, now my name's Brooke. |
| 1:20.8 | I don't want to do a high voice. |
| 1:22.6 | My name's Elizabeth. |
| 1:24.9 | Bye. |
| 1:25.5 | You can be Brooke and I'll be Elizabeth. |
| 1:27.5 | I'm going to like really like, Dad's voice is going to be like really down here. It's You can be broken. I'll be Elizabeth. I'm going to like really like, |
| 1:29.0 | Dad's voice is going to be like really down here. |
| 1:30.8 | It's going to be like, hey. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Intentional, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Intentional and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.