Feeding The Mouth That Bites You: Parenting Teens Into Adulthood Podcast By Kenneth Wilgus Cynthia Yanof cover art

Feeding The Mouth That Bites You: Parenting Teens Into Adulthood

Feeding The Mouth That Bites You: Parenting Teens Into Adulthood

By: Kenneth Wilgus Cynthia Yanof
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A weekly podcast on parenting teens and launching them into the world. Hosted by Cynthia Yanof with Dr. Ken Wilgus, author of the book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You."Feeding the Mouth That Bites You: Parenting Teenagers into Adulthood Copyright © 2024 by Kenneth Wilgus. All rights reserved. Cover and interior illustration of mouth by Ron Kaufmann. Copyright © 2024 by Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved. Christianity Ministry & Evangelism Parenting & Families Relationships Spirituality
Episodes
  • Episode 250: Your Teen Summer Checklist Starts Now
    May 12 2026

    Dr. Ken and Cynthia are talking all things summer — because somehow it’s already almost here, and if you have teenagers at home, now is the time to start thinking ahead. In this episode, they walk through a practical summer checklist for parents: screen time, jobs, sleep schedules, dating relationships, family vacations, summer reading, and how to keep teens from spending three straight months attached to a phone or gaming system.

    Cynthia shares the story of the year she created an ambitious “Summer Bucket List” for her kids that completely fell apart within days, while Dr. Ken explains why boredom actually matters, why teens need meaningful responsibility during the summer, and how parents can create structure without making summer miserable for everyone involved.

    They also tackle the tricky balance of family time versus independence, how to think about summer jobs and volunteering, and why dating boundaries become even more important once school is out and teens suddenly have endless free time.

    If summer tends to sneak up on you every year, this episode will help you plan ahead.


    If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners.

    You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here

    You can order Cynthia's book "Life Is Messy, God Is Good" here

    You can pre-order Cynthia's book "How'd I Miss That" here

    Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com

    Music provided by the great John David Kent - https://www.johndavidkent.com/



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    34 mins
  • Episode 249: Mother’s Day Reset: 5 Lies Moms Shouldn’t Believe
    May 5 2026

    Happy Mother’s Day! 🌸🌸🌸

    In this episode, Cynthia and Dr. Ken talk through some of the lies so many moms carry—especially when it comes to their teens.

    They unpack that nagging thought that if a teen is struggling, it must mean mom has failed, the pressure to hold everything together, and why a child pulling away might actually be a sign things are going more right than it feels.

    Today’s show is an honest conversation around the exhaustion, the comparison, and that underlying fear that one misstep could ruin everything. But more than anything, this episode is meant to be a reminder that so many moms feel these same things—and we’re all in this together!

    If a little reset and reassurance is needed this Mother’s Day… this one is for you.



    If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners.

    You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here

    You can order Cynthia's book "Life Is Messy, God Is Good" here

    You can order Cynthia's book "How'd I Miss That" here

    Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com

    Music provided by the great John David Kent - https://www.johndavidkent.com/



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    Show more Show less
    32 mins
  • Episode 248: Are We Overdoing Self-Esteem?
    Apr 28 2026

    Cynthia came into this conversation ready to defend self-esteem like it’s a parenting essential. Dr. Ken… not so much.

    In this episode, they unpack what we actually mean when we talk about self-esteem in our adolescents—and why making it the ultimate goal might not work the way we think it does.

    They get into why constantly telling kids they’re amazing doesn’t always lead to real confidence, what’s actually normal when your middle schooler suddenly feels insecure about everything, and how the very things we try to protect our kids from—failure, disappointment, rejection—might be doing more good than harm.

    If you’ve ever wondered when to step in, when to hold back, or whether you’re accidentally raising an American Idol kid… this one’s worth a listen.


    If you have a minute, please leave us a review. We love hearing listeners encouraging other listeners.

    You can order Dr. Ken's book "Feeding The Mouth That Bites You" here

    You can order Cynthia's book "Life Is Messy, God Is Good" here

    You can pre-order Cynthia's book "How'd I Miss That" here

    Got questions or feedback? We want to hear from you! podcast@feedingthemouth.com

    Music provided by the great John David Kent - https://www.johndavidkent.com/



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

    Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
    Show more Show less
    31 mins
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Our only child will be starting middle school next year & I’m listening almost every day (starting from the beginning) to get some good advice before we head into the teen years. I’m getting lots of great tips & now I want the book!

Great parenting advice for today’s teens

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I had read the “feeding the mouth…” book and loved it. Then realized there was this podcast!! Such a great addition to the book to simply help think through day to day challenges we all face. Thank you for giving us your time & advice!

Such helpful advice!

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Love that this podcast addresses so many issues we face as parents to teenagers. It’s a fantastic accompaniment to the book of the same name.

Amazing parenting advice and help!

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the book and podcast has guided our parenting towards planned emancipation. the podcast is well done and so full of practical nuggets of wisdom. from a Christian perspective, but much of the advice would apply to secular parents as well.

great expanded material to the book

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Topics are relevant to what I am needing guidance on. Finally, I found parental advice specific to the adolence age from a Christian perspective but yet practical to this day and age.

Much needed guidance!

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