July 20, 2025 — Episode #79

Content note: this episode discusses teen suicide, including a specific account of a young man’s death, along with statistics linking parental divorce to increased suicide risk.

Jerry and Becky continue their series on raising teenagers with a hard look at how a parent’s divorce can affect a teen’s mental health, including a sharp rise in teen suicide rates tied to family breakdown.

They cite a statistic on the dramatic increase in teen suicide rates and note that parental divorce and feeling unloved at home are among the strongest predictors, sharing an account of a young man whose friend discovered he had taken his own life despite appearing fine outwardly. They discuss warning signs parents should watch for — changes in grades, isolation, sudden shifts in appearance or friend groups — and the importance of staying alert rather than assuming a struggling teen is “just going through a phase,” along with reflections on respecting older generations and passing down daily Scripture and prayer traditions.

Topics discussed:

• Statistics linking parental divorce to rising teen suicide rates
• Warning signs of teen depression and emotional distress
• The importance of parental attentiveness to sudden behavior changes
• Passing down daily Scripture reading and family prayer traditions
• Teaching respect for older generations
• Blended-family sensitivity when a parent remarries
• Encouragement for parents doing their best despite a child’s struggles

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