For Schools, community & Parent Organizations
Help Middle School Parents Navigate the Toughest Years with Confidence
If your parent community is overwhelmed or feeling lost in the middle school parenting wilderness, they don’t need another lecture — they need a framework and an experience that empowers them to be the parent they want to be.
Bring Sarah Porter-Braun (Founder & CEO, Parenting Genius) to your school or community and give parents the knowledge and tools they can use immediately — without shame, blame, or burnout.
A flexible and highly interactive workshop that helps parents go from reluctant passengers into enthusiastic co-conspirators — as they learn to identify needs, understand behavior, see opportunties, and learn critical skills.
In-person or virtual • Customized to your community • Marketing support included
Your parents are struggling—and they’re looking to you for help.
Right now, your parent community is facing...
👉 Children who’ve suddenly become moody, withdrawn, or defiant
👉 Anxiety about changing schools, academics, and social pressure
👉 Confusion about freedom vs. control (and how to keep everyone safe and sane)
👉 Fear of technology, gaming, and social media
👉 Worry about stress and emotional health
👉 Overwhelmed, unclear, unsupported
👉 Isolation—feeling like they’re the alone in their concern
They want answers. They want support. They want community.
If you’re hearing things like…
“I don’t recognize my kid anymore.”
“Everything turns into a fight.”
“I’m worried about friends, phones, and mental health.”
“I don’t know when to step in—or step back.”
"I hear terrible storries about middle school, I'm dreading it, and don't know how to prepare."
YOU’RE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
From Dread to Delight:
Your Crash Course in Middle School Parenting Genius
This isn’t a “tips and tricks” talk. It introduces a framework that's based on early adolescent brain development to help parents understand what’s driving their tween's behavior—and what to do next—so they can deepen their deepen their relationship while supporting their child's growth.
Yes, parents could try to piece this together on their own. But why keep guessing—when you can give them a clear, compassionate roadmap that strengthens school-family partnership and reduces stress at home?
Outcomes: Parents leave
- understanding the driving forces of early adolescent behavior
- knowing how to identify and meet their kid's evolving needs
- feeling excited about the opportunities present during the middle school years
- prepared to explore and leverage newly available support
Sarah uses relatable stories and humor throughout the interactive, engaging session so there's never boredom, and so parents can 'see' their kids or themeslves.
All workshops are tailored to meet your community's needs and your priorities.
'10 - 25': a Storytelling Game
Let Parents Be Tweens Again -
For Fun. (And, for just a few minutes).
As kids enter middle school, parents are often unprepared for the sudden and rapid changes their child experiences. And, they've stuffed their own memories of middle school so far back in the corners of their memories that they can't access them easily. Recalling their own middle school experiences improves empathy and understanding, and it can help parents and kids maintain a strong connection as a middle schooler is pushing for independence or when their world feels like quicksand under their feet.
Developed by the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent and FrameWorks Institute, and based on David Yeager's book, From 10 to 25 is a collaborative storytelling card game that helps parents understand what students need to go on this journey we call adolescence.
How is it played?
Groups of 3 - 5 players
How long does the facilitated game take?
30 - 60 minutes (depending on the allocated discussion time)
Can we incoporate the game into the general session?
Yes! Let's talk!
Imagine your parents leaving feeling...
- COMPETENT - understanding instead of judging their kids
- PREPARED - knowing what to expect - what's 'normal' v. what's not
- COMPASSION for the critical developmental work their kids are doing
- EXCITED about the journey and growth to come
- SUPPORTED and thankful for their school community and the new resources
A Workshop That Delivers Real Results
Three outcomes parents feel immediately—plus a structure your school can stand behind.
Understanding: the brain science behind confusing behaviors, the 6 Drivers behind most tween behavior, and what’s normal vs. concerning.
Connection: communication strategies that work, how to navigate conflict without losing the relationship, and when to step in vs. step back.
Preparation: the three developmental tasks of middle school, academic habits that matter more than grades, and parenting skills that meet the moment.
Parents don’t just learn about their tweens—they leave with specific strategies to use immediately.
Led by Sarah Porter-Braun, Parenting Genius
What makes this different
Not just information—transformation
Parents leave with a clear framework and specific strategies they can use the same day and as their tween evolves to understand their child's behavior and needs.
Brain-based, not blame-based
Grounded in neuroscience and developmental psychology—delivered with empathy and humor so parents feel capable, not criticized.
Customized to your community
Every workshop is tailored based on a pre-workshop consultation—so it matches your school culture and addresses your families’ real concerns.
Bring “From Dread to Delight” to Your Parent Community
Choose the format that fits your school. Transparent pricing. Real results in 90 minutes.
Virtual (Zoom)
Perfect for busy families + easy scheduling
$997
👉 90-minute highly interactive workshop
👉 Tailored to your community (pre-call included)
👉 Digital resource handout for all attendees
👉 Post-workshop follow-up resources
👉 Marketing support to maximize attendance
Request a Date
Payment plans available • Scholarship options for schools with constraints
In-Person
High-energy, room-filling engagement
$1,500 + travel*
Game addition: +$500
Includes everything in Virtual, plus:
👉 In-room facilitation + interactive moments
👉 Stronger community connection & momentum
👉 Optional Q&A add-on (if desired)
👉 Travel can be shared across nearby schools*
Check Availability
*If I book multiple talks in the same region
Bundle & Save
For districts, multi-school groups, or series
Custom quote
Best for:
👉 Multiple schools in one region
👉 5th-grade “Middle School Prep” + 6–8 support
👉 Parent orientation series
👉 Family engagement programming
👉 Scholarship options available
Get a Quote
We’ll tailor the plan to your goals, timing, and budget.
Got questions before you book?
Here are the answers parent leaders ask most.
Is this workshop for parents or for educators?
It’s designed for parents and caregivers. Your teachers benefit indirectly because parents leave with a clearer understanding of what’s normal, what’s concerning, and how to support learning and behavior at home—so teachers can focus on teaching.
Can you tailor it to our school’s specific concerns (tech, anxiety, academics, social drama)?
Yes. We’ll do a short pre-workshop consultation so I can customize examples, emphasis, and takeaways to match your community’s needs and culture.
What do parents receive after the workshop?
Every attendee receives a digital resource handout plus post-workshop follow-up resources they can reference anytime. They’ll also get a discount on the Parenting Genius Middle School Parent Support App.
Meet your workshop leader
Sarah Porter-Braun • Founder, Parenting Genius
I help parent communities navigate the toughest years with confidence—so families feel supported, kids feel understood, and schools feel the difference.
This workshop is grounded in neuroscience and developmental psychology, delivered with empathy and humor, and designed to be immediately useful—no blame, no overwhelm.
“Parents don’t just learn about their tweens—they leave with empathy and specific strategies to use immediately.”
I've spent the past 14 years immersed in adolescent development and trying to flip the narrative on middle school from a time to fear to a time to charrish and enjoy.
I left a career in corporate leadership in learning and development to help parents meet the critical and changing needs of their middle school kids. After struggling to find support as my kids went through middle school, I dove headlong into the budding science of early adolescent development, and found my passion.
Now, I'm on a mission to help 1 million parents (by 2030) understand this critical growth stage and how to support their tweens in their natural quest to level up their skills as they lean toward adulthood. Most importantly, I want to help parents find the hidden opportunites, the joy, and the unique path only they can walk with thier budding human.
I look foward to working with you and your community!
This is for your community if…
- Parents are seeing moodiness, withdrawal, or defiance and don’t know what’s normal
- Families are anxious about academic and social pressure
- Tech, gaming, and social media feel like a constant battle
- Parents are stuck between “too much control” and “too much freedom”
- You want a workshop that builds community—not just attendance
This may NOT be the right fit if…
- You’re looking for a one-size-fits-all lecture with no interaction
- You want a “silver bullet” instead of practical, repeatable strategies
- You’re not open to a brain-based, developmentally-informed approach
- You don’t want to provide parents with follow-up resources
- You’re not ready to support parents as partners in this stage
What parent leaders are saying
“Sarah’s presentation was unbelievable! She simplified this highly complex growth period with humor, empathy, and science. Most importantly, she gave me a framework I can use to help my daughter navigate the next few years while deepening our relationship.”
Beth C. — Boston
“The Parenting Genius 3-6-12 model makes so much sense! We all prepare for babies, but nobody tells us that this early adolescent period has as much brain growth. Now I have a guide for understanding my child’s needs and how to respond in the most effective ways.”
Laura M. — Chicago
“This workshop was so helpful and even fun! Dealing with the daily challenges of middle schoolers today helped me be so much more empathetic to my son. Understanding his developmental needs made so many of his behaviors finally make sense!”
Matt C. — Portland
Final step: request your date
Your parents are already asking for help. Let’s give them something that works.
When families feel alone, confusion turns into conflict—and conflict turns into disconnection. This workshop gives parents a shared language, a clear framework, and practical strategies they can use immediately.
If your community could “figure this out” on their own, they wouldn’t be searching for answers right now.
Let’s make middle school a season of growth—for kids, parents, and your school community.
Copyright Sarah Porter-Braun