Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam

Middle schooler won't listen, won't cooperate, or won't get out of bed without a fight? Here's the surprise. That same kid is often engaged, funny, and working hard in a great teacher's classroom. In this episode of Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam, veteran middle school teacher Sean Kane shares what great teachers know about getting middle schoolers to cooperate, and how you can use it at home.

Most of us treat the middle school years like bad weather. We keep our heads down and wait for it to pass. Sean thinks that's the biggest missed opportunity we have. After 14 years in the classroom, time as a dean of students, and raising three sons, he's seen that middle schoolers don't change because of more criticism or bigger consequences. They change when they start to feel capable.

In this episode you'll learn:
1. Why your middle schooler seems like a different person, and what's going on underneath
2. How comparison and constant correction feed a deficit mindset
3. Why middle schoolers need more praise, not less
4. How to stack small wins (and why a 71% clean room is progress)
5. Why reflective questions work better than lectures
6. How to step back so your teen learns "I can figure this out"

 

👉 Want your middle schooler to cooperate without the daily battles? Parenting Teens Academy gives you a step-by-step plan to rebuild connection and strengthen your influence, plus you can ask me questions directly every day. Join here: https://www.skool.com/parenting-teens-academy/about

 

Chapters:
00:00 Why middle school is the most misunderstood age
01:12 Why Sean Kane chose to teach middle school
04:34 Puberty and the emotional side of middle school
07:18 How comparison creates a deficit mindset
10:37 What great teachers know about middle schoolers
13:33 How small wins build self-efficacy
16:07 Why praise matters more in middle school, not less
18:24 Why parents struggle to let go of punishment
21:50 Why boundaries only work with trust
24:23 Why success is the best consequence
27:04 How reflection builds self-awareness
30:07 How to stop overfunctioning for your teen
33:06 Responding to emotional and behavior struggles
36:37 How to build collaboration with your middle schooler
40:19 Why teens need to feel seen
43:12 The power of authentic connection
47:30 From punishment to relationship-based discipline
50:32 Where to find Sean Kane

Resources mentioned:
Dr. Shefali Tsabary's work on conscious parenting
Autopilot, Sean's upcoming course: growthmindsetparenting.com

Connect with Sean Kane:
Website and newsletter: growthmindsetparenting.com
Instagram: @growthmindsetparenting
TikTok: @growthmindsetparenting

Connect with Dr. Cam Caswell:
Website: www.askdrcam.com
Instagram: @drcamcaswell
YouTube: Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam

🎧 Enjoying the show? Leave a rating and review. It helps other parents find the support they need.
🔔 Follow the show so you never miss a new episode.

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.

What's one thing your middle schooler did right this week?

When a teen gets defiant or starts with the back talk, most of us push harder. More rules, louder voice, fewer explanations. And the harder we push, the further they pull away or shut down completely.

👉 Want to stay in charge without the yelling? Inside Parenting Teens Academy, parents trade shouting for calm, earn their teen's respect, and go from walking on eggshells to enjoying their teen again. Try it free for 7 days at askdrcam.com/academy

José Rolón, known as NYC Gay Dad, raised his son and twin daughters as a single dad for ten years. He's the first LGBTQ dad on the cover of Parents Latina and co-host of the Love Take Two podcast. In this episode, he shares how he stays strict and fair without the yelling.

 

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN HOW TO:

Find the one setting where a teen who won't talk finally opens up

Understand the real reason your disrespectful teen goes from 0 to 100

Know what to say instead of "because I said so" when defiance hits

Use the one thing that earns your teen's respect faster than stricter rules

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

José Rolón: @NYCGayDad

Love Take Two podcast

 

CONNECT WITH DR. CAM CASWELL

Website: AskDrCam.com

Instagram: @DrCamCaswell 

 

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.

⭐ If this episode helped, share it with a parent who needs it and leave a rating and review. It helps other parents find the show.

🔔 Follow the show so you never miss an episode.

Thanks for listening. See you next week!

Dr. Cam

"I'm only trying to help, but every question makes my teen go quieter."

When your teen won't talk, what looks like defiance may be a sign they don't feel heard. The harder we push, fix, or force connection, the further they often pull away or shut down.

👉 Want your teen to open up to you again? Inside Parenting Teens Academy, parents learn what to say when their teen shuts down, trade guessing for calm, and go from walking on eggshells to enjoying their teen again. Try it free for 7 days

In this episode, I sit down with Rachel Martin, Chief Operating Officer of the Born This Way Foundation, co-founded by Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Bissett Germanotta. Rachel shares what teens need to feel safe opening up, and how to change the conversation starting today.

If your teen's silence comes with signs of hopelessness or talk of self-harm, reach out to a mental health professional right away. In the US, call or text 988 anytime.

 

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN

Why your teen shuts down when you try to help

The one thing missing when a packed schedule still feels lonely

What to do instead of forcing connection when screen time spikes

How talks about mental health can weaken or rebuild trust

 

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 Why teens go quiet, with Rachel Martin

02:03 Inside the Born This Way Foundation

04:41 The social connection challenge for teens

06:23 Why every teen's social life looks different

08:57 What third spaces are and why teens need them

11:34 Low-pressure places where teens connect

14:36 When cost gets in the way

15:29 How unsafe environments affect teens

22:50 Building connection at home

26:34 Why teens need a trusted adult

28:57 How to talk openly about mental health

30:20 Making it a two-way relationship

31:50 Key takeaway: community and curiosity

32:31 How to connect with Rachel and the foundation

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Be There Certificate

Born This Way Foundation

Kindness in Community Fund

Ryan Bartel Foundation

Lambert House

Jack.org

Hopelab

 

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.

⭐ If this episode helped, share it with a parent who needs it and leave a rating and review. It helps other parents find the show.

🔔 Follow the show so you never miss an episode.

Thanks for listening. See you next week!

Dr. Cam

Is your teen hiding things from you? It can feel like the tighter we hold on, the faster they pull away. Strict rules, phone bans, and grounding can seem like the safest way to protect our teens. But often they just teach teens to hide things better.

👉 Want to stay close without the power struggles? Inside Parenting Teens Academy, parents learn to loosen control without losing their footing, keep their teen talking, and become the safe place their teen keeps coming back to. Try it free for 7 days

In this episode, I sit down with Zara Kadir, a child, adolescent, and family psychotherapist, parenting coach, and mom of two. Zara explains why teens don't dislike us, they dislike having an agenda pushed into every interaction. We talk about why taking the phone often backfires, what to say instead of an automatic "no," and how to respond to mistakes so your teen keeps telling you the truth.

Your job isn't to stop your teen from making mistakes. It's to be the person they call when they do. Teens need a safe home base, a place they can explore from and always come back to.

 

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Why teens hide things from their parents, and what works better than more rules

What to say instead of an automatic "no"

Why taking the phone away often backfires, and how to work together instead

How to respond to mistakes so your teen keeps telling you the truth

How to rebuild trust if you've been leaning on control

 

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 Meet Zara Kadir

02:47 What parents get wrong about teens

05:01 Why overprotecting teens backfires

07:02 How to change course as a parent

09:39 Parenting in the digital age

12:18 Supporting your teen's identity and exploration

15:24 Handling teen behavior without overreacting

18:09 How the teen brain makes decisions

20:09 Supporting teens through mistakes

22:09 Creating a safe space to explore

23:10 Balancing freedom and connection

24:22 Owning your parenting mistakes

25:00 The power of a thoughtful response

26:19 Understanding teen brain development

27:23 Teaching respect and empathy online

28:09 How to start changing your relationship

29:08 Getting into your teen's interests

30:09 Why the relationship comes first

31:04 Collaborative parenting and dialogue

32:00 Resources and final tips

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Zara's courses on awkward conversations (puberty, periods, porn, and more): use code CAM for 20% off

 

CONNECT WITH ZARA KADIR

Instagram: @thetherapyshed

 

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.

⭐ If this episode helped, share it with a parent who needs it and leave a rating and review. It helps other parents find the show.

🔔 Follow the show so you never miss an episode.

Have you ever blamed your teen's eye rolls, impulsive choices, or big reactions on their "underdeveloped brain"? The teen brain keeps developing into the mid-20s, but that doesn't mean teens can't make good decisions. In fact, adolescence is one of the most important times for them to practice.

👉 Want discipline that teaches instead of backfires? Inside Parenting Teens Academy, parents learn to set limits without punishment, stay calm when their teen messes up, and raise a teen who comes to them instead of hiding. Try it free for 7 days

In this episode, I sit down with psychotherapist and bestselling author Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, co-author with Dr. Dan Siegel of The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline. We talk about what brain science can teach us about raising teens, why punishment can lead teens to hide their mistakes instead of learning from them, and why connection is the foundation for discipline, trust, and independence.

If you want to understand what's happening inside your teen's brain and respond in ways that help them grow, this episode gives you practical, science-backed strategies.

 

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

What teen brain development means for decision-making, empathy, impulse control, and responsibility

Why punishment and fear can lead teens to hide mistakes instead of learning from them

How to give your teen safe chances to practice decision-making and build independence

Why connection and secure attachment are the foundation for trust and better behavior

The four S's of secure attachment: safe, seen, soothed, and secure

 

EPISODE CHAPTERS

00:00 What brain science teaches us about teens

01:10 Parenting teens with understanding and empathy

02:43 How brain development affects teen behavior

04:09 Myths about brain maturity and responsibility

08:48 The prefrontal cortex in teens

11:59 Why practice builds skills

16:22 How to scaffold and support your teen

22:45 Mistakes and repair as learning

32:48 Building trust and secure attachment

44:55 Why relationship matters more than rules

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Whole-Brain Child by Dr. Tina Payne Bryson and Dr. Dan Siegel

No-Drama Discipline by Dr. Tina Payne Bryson and Dr. Dan Siegel

The Power of Showing Up by Dr. Tina Payne Bryson and Dr. Dan Siegel

The Way of Play by Dr. Tina Payne Bryson and Georgie Wisen-Vincent

The Four S's of Secure Attachment: Safe, Seen, Soothed, Secure

 

CONNECT WITH DR. TINA PAYNE BRYSON

Website: TinaBryson.com

Instagram: @tinapaynebryson

 

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.

⭐ If this episode helped, share it with a parent who needs it and leave a rating and review. It helps other parents find the show.

🔔 Follow the show so you never miss an episode.