Free live workshop for parents of middle schoolers
From Reminders to Responsibility
Mornings, homework, chores, the dishwasher — you remember, you remind, they flip. In this workshop, I'll share how everyday demand turns into rupture and how we can look to education to build capacity and reduce strain.
Sean Kane · 14 years in the classroomIn this free workshop
You'll learn how to teach independence instead of demanding it.
What's actually going on with my kid
How rapid adolescent development in middle school collides with daily demand
Why your reminders aren't working
How every reminder to unload the dishwasher makes it worse and leads to a fight
How teachers diagnose the gap
Behavior is communication. You'll learn what educators see when learning breaks down and how they decide what to do about it.
How to hand the job back
What high standards and high support really look like in our homes
Who this is for
Does any of this sound like your kitchen?
You're not in crisis. You just need a new lens, and a different tool.
“I say it six times every morning and we're still late.”
You're not a nag. You've become the household's working memory, and you never applied for the job. Reminders are a system that runs on you.
“How can a kid this smart be this careless?”
Straight-A student, bedroom like a bomb went off. Skills don't develop evenly, and the ones that lag look a lot like a character flaw from the outside.
“The smallest request gets the biggest reaction.”
People have quietly stopped asking anything of your kid because it isn't worth the blowup. You'd like to ask again without starting a war.
“I've tried connection and repair and endless conversation. The mornings didn't change.”
Regulation and repair matter. But if the same fight happens every morning, maybe the fight isn't the thing to fix. The system is.
What parents are saying
Real changes, in real houses.
More than 350,000 parents follow Sean for what 14 years of teaching middle schoolers taught him: how to get kids to do hard things on their own. Here’s what happened when they tried it at home.
brendachaidezdiazThis really works. After many many months struggling with my now 14 year old, this has finally made a huge difference. Still a long way to go but no more struggles with wake ups or homework, still always a few minutes late to practice and a bit of stalling before bed time but it is a lot better. Why didn't I find this 2years ago!
mahvelous_oOMG!!!!!! My daughter has ADHD and I tried this tactic with her…it Works!!!! Thanks for suggestion!
cringe4lessFirst damn parenting voice on insta that's just made sense to me. Thank you for what you're doing, brother. And I say that as a licensed clinical therapist, with three kids of my own, and years of training on child development, parenting and co-regulation.. and you're teaching me with every video. Thank you thank you thank you.
earcandybysheaYou are the first person I've ever heard that has actually sounded like you understand what we're going through and given some clear and concise points to help get through the day. Thank you!!!
ravenmbSchool started two weeks ago, but we implemented the to do list (you suggested in a different video) starting a few days before school. It has gone splendidly about 93% of the time (one day they fell back asleep and I had no clue, oops). Anyway, just here to say this works and I am thankful for your advice!
sarahmwalsh53Retired Lifetime clinical social worker here. You have a remarkable way of communicating complex concepts in such a warm and respectful manner. You have a gift.
morganbrandonmillerYour content is some of the best on the internet that I've found. I'm a parent of two neurodivergent kids 12 and 8 and you're changing my life and theirs. Thank you.
paigemaddexI am therapist with a small private practice in northwest indiana. i can't thank you enough for these reels. As a parent of four, it is changing my parenting style — as a therapist, it's helping me coach others.
chalksfireI'm near tears in gratitude for finding this account today. Thank you for your thoughtful preparation of these videos- I know I am not the only ADHD mom who spends at least one small portion of every day feeling helpless, hopeless and desperately sad for how hard my kid's life seems like it's going to be. Your evidence based and actionable advice is so comforting. Thank you!!
Questions
Have questions? I've got answers.
Is this actually live, or is it a recording?
It's live. Twice. Once Sunday, October 4 at 6pm Central. And again on Monday, October 5 at 12PM Central. I know things for parents are chaotic. Just pick the time that works best for you. Come to either one.
I'm not sure this is really for me. Who is the workshop for?
It's for parents of a kid who is in the middle- capable and kind, but can't manage the daily systems. Parents who are tired of being the system. You don't need a diagnosis, a partner who's on board, or a kid who's excited about any of this. You just need to be a little curious whether there's a better way than reminding louder. There is, and that's what we'll dig into.
My kid has ADHD. Or I do. Is this still for us?
Yes. Some of the most-liked questions on my videos aren't about kids at all. They're parents asking how to stick to routines when they have ADHD too. Every kid's planning brain is under construction until about 25, and kids with ADHD are further behind on the build. That means more scaffolding, not a lower bar. And for you, it means building a structure that doesn't depend on you remembering everything.
I've already read the parenting books. Will I actually learn anything new?
Probably. Most parenting advice comes from psychologists and therapists, and a lot of it is great. I read it too. But I spent 14 years teaching kids 10 to 15, and educators know something that isn't being said in the research or on parent blogs. We know how to get a kid to finish the essay they just threw in the trash. Not with a better talk. With structure. And you'll get real examples of what that sounds like on a school morning, not just what it's called.
What if I can't make it live?
Sign up anyway. You'll get the links for both times, and if neither one works, I'll send you the replay.
Wait, is this really free?
Really free. At the end, I'll tell you about Autopilot, my five-week course, for anyone who wants to go further. If that's not for you, no hard feelings. You'll still leave with things you can try in your house this week.
Sean Kane · Austin, TXA note from Sean
I taught middle school for 14 years. Then I had three sons.
I know why you're here. I've been yelled at by a kid I was trying to help. I've watched a kid fall apart over a basic request and wondered, what is his problem? And then — good grief, what is my problem?
Think about your favorite teacher. Not the easy one. The one who made you feel seen, capable and respected, and who still expected something from you every single day. You never saw the lesson plans. It wasn't magic. It was environment, development and collaboration, prepared on purpose.
I spent 14 years in the classroom learning how that works. I've spent the last few learning how to bring it home. Sixty minutes won't fix your mornings, but it will show you where to look — and I think that's the part nobody ever showed you.
See you there.