Middle School Mayhem

Tamara Braxton
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Welcome to Middle School Mayhem™ with Tamara Braxton, M.Ed., educator, behavior strategist, and your Mommy Mentor! We're making sense of the terribly terrific tween and teen years with real conversations, relatable parenting experiences, and research-backed strategies you can actually use. From power struggles and emotional outbursts to communication and connection, we're helping you understand adolescent behavior, change the interaction, and strengthen your family. Because Parenting... Doesn't Come With a Pamphlet.

Episodes

  1. 7h ago

    The Impact of Fatherhood in the Middle School Years | Dwight DeRamus

    Sometimes a father doesn't have to say a word. Just showing up can change everything. But here's the question: Is being physically present the same as being emotionally involved in your child's life? In this episode of Middle School Mayhem™, Tamara Braxton welcomes educator and award-winning author Dwight E. DeRamus Jr., author of Disappearing Dads: Revised Edition, for an honest conversation about the importance of fatherhood during the middle school years. We discuss what it means to be an intentional father, how parental involvement shapes a child's development, and why raising healthy, responsible children requires connection, communication, and teamwork. IN THIS EPISODE: The difference between being physically present and emotionally available Why middle schoolers still need their fathers, even as they become more independent How to teach responsibility, accountability, and consequences with love Why listening is sometimes more important than immediately trying to fix the problem How fathers, mothers, and schools can create a stronger support system Why parenting as a team matters, regardless of family structure ONE THING TO REMEMBER: Your child may never say, "I needed you today." But that doesn't mean your presence didn't make all the difference. Whether you're parenting together or navigating separate households, the goal remains the same: helping your child feel supported, guided, and loved. CONNECT WITH DWIGHT DERAMUS Website: https://treynickelmedia.com Book: Disappearing Dads: Revised Edition, also available on Amazon. MORE FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL MAYHEM™ Parenting resources and practical guidance: https://middleschoolmayhem.com If this conversation resonated with you, share it with a father, mother, caregiver, or educator who needs the reminder that showing up matters. Like this video and subscribe for more practical parenting conversations.

  2. Oct 22

    007: The Bully, the Bullied, and the Story We're Missing

    Bullied as a child, Gary Rivera later recognized how he'd hurt others with his words. The author of The Reluctant Bully explores both sides of bullying: why kids stay silent, the warning signs parents miss, and how to respond with empathy and accountability. He also shares why families and schools must work together. Hosted by educator and behavior strategist Tamara Braxton, Middle School Mayhem™ helps parents understand adolescent behavior, change the interaction, and strengthen the family. Expect research made practical, relatable parenting experiences, and strategies you can actually use at home. Because Parenting... Doesn't Come With a Pamphlet. #MiddleSchoolMayhem #ParentingTeens #MiddleSchoolParenting

  3. Oct 19

    006: Why Middle Schoolers Push You Away but Still Need You | Dr. Terri Daniels

    Middle school is a whole new world and Dr. Terri Daniels has spent years helping families navigate it! A retired middle school administrator, educator, grandmother, and certified parenting coach, Terri shares the realities she witnessed in schools and now sees in her own family: the “backpack of no return,” sudden academic struggles, and after-school meltdowns. She explains why kids still need boundaries, how to build independence, and why parents and educators must work as a team. Hosted by educator and behavior strategist Tamara Braxton, Middle School Mayhem™ helps parents understand adolescent behavior, change the interaction, and strengthen the family. Expect research made practical, relatable parenting experiences, and strategies you can actually use at home. Because Parenting... Doesn't Come With a Pamphlet. #MiddleSchoolMayhem #ParentingTeens #MiddleSchoolParenting

  4. Oct 9

    005: How to Reconnect With Your Teen After a Blowup

    Had a blowup with your middle schooler and now you're wondering, "Okay... what next?" The yelling has stopped. Everybody's gone to their separate corners. The house is quiet again, but things still feel a little weird. Maybe you know you didn't handle everything the way you wanted to. But you ALSO know your child was still dead wrong! So what do you do? Do you apologize? Wait for them to apologize? Pretend nothing happened? And if you reconnect, does that mean the consequence goes away? In this episode of Middle School Mayhem™, we're talking about what happens AFTER the argument, when the boundary still needs to stand, but the relationship needs some attention too. Because here's the thing: Repairing the relationship doesn't mean removing accountability. And just because the argument is over doesn't mean everything between you and your child is automatically okay. That's where the REPAIR Framework comes in. R: Return When You're ReadyGive yourself time to calm down before revisiting the conflict. But recognize the difference between taking space and giving your child the silent treatment. E: Examine Your PartOwn what belongs to you. If you yelled, overreacted, or said something you shouldn't have, acknowledge it and apologize. No "I'm sorry, BUT..." P: Preserve Their AccountabilityYour apology doesn't erase your child's responsibility for their behavior. Accountability isn't a seesaw. You can both have something to own. A: Address the IssueCome back to the original problem. Whether it was a broken rule, missed assignment, or disrespectful behavior, the issue still needs to be addressed. I: Invite ReconnectionGive the relationship somewhere to go after the conflict. Maybe it's a hug, a simple "We good?" or sitting down to watch that stupid reel they've been trying to show you. 😂 R: Reinforce the Relationship & BoundaryRemind your child that they're loved, your relationship is secure, and the expectation still stands. I'm also sharing a real experience with my oldest son after a wrestling tournament when his disappointment turned into a VERY public attitude. Let's just say... it took everything in me not to handle that situation right there in the gym! 😂 But what happened afterward taught us something important about accountability, reconnection, and making sure one difficult interaction doesn't damage the relationship. Because the argument ended. The relationship didn't. Think about a recent argument with your middle schooler that never really got resolved. Maybe everybody just stopped talking about it. Maybe you moved on like nothing happened. Or maybe things still feel a little tense. Ask yourself: What part of that interaction belongs to me? What does my child still need to take responsibility for? What issue still needs to be addressed? And how can I invite reconnection without removing the boundary? You don't have to pretend the conflict never happened to move forward. A hard interaction doesn't have to become a hard relationship. Ready to put the REPAIR Framework into practice? Download the FREE REPAIR Reconnection Cheat Sheet inside the Middle School Mayhem™ Parent Vault. Use it to work through a real conflict, identify what each person needs to own, address unfinished issues, and find a way back to connection while keeping your expectations intact. 👉 Access the FREE Parent Vault:https://www.middleschoolmayhem.com/parentvault Remember: Repair doesn't erase the boundary. It repairs what happened around the boundary. Hosted by educator and behavior strategist Tamara Braxton, M.Ed., Middle School Mayhem™ helps parents understand adolescent behavior, change the interaction, and strengthen the family. Expect research made practical, relatable parenting experiences, and strategies you can actually use at home. Because Parenting... Doesn't Come With a Pamphlet. #MiddleSchoolMayhem #ParentingTeens #ParentingTweens #ParentTeenConflict #MiddleSchoolParenting

  5. Oct 9

    004: How to End a Power Struggle Without Giving In

    How do you end a power struggle with your middle schooler WITHOUT giving in? You stop participating in the argument without changing the expectation. Because ending the power struggle and giving up the boundary are NOT the same thing. Ever find yourself explaining the same rule over and over, defending a decision you've already made, or going back and forth with your middle schooler long after the conversation stopped being productive? At some point, you're not even discussing the original issue anymore. You're arguing about the argument! 😩 In this episode of Middle School Mayhem™, we're talking about how to recognize when an ordinary disagreement has turned into a power struggle and how to step out of it without surrendering your authority. That's where the POWER Framework comes in. P: Pause Your PartRecognize when you're automatically adding another response and choose not to keep the exchange going. O: Own the ExpectationGet clear about what you expect, what happens if the expectation isn't met, and what you're actually holding your child accountable for. W: Watch Out for the Back-and-ForthNotice when you've stopped solving the problem and started arguing about the argument itself. E: End the ExchangeRecognize when there's nothing productive left to add. You can end the conversation without changing the decision. R: Release the Need to WinLet go of needing your child to agree, apologize on demand, or give you the last word. We'll also talk about how setting clear expectations around my oldest son's phone and, later, things like curfew helped change the way we handled disagreements. Because sometimes the expectation doesn't need another explanation, a PowerPoint presentation, three witnesses, and Exhibits A through F. 😂 The decision can simply be the decision. And we'll take these same principles beyond the home to explore how you can help your middle schooler reflect on conflicts with teachers without immediately deciding who's right or wrong. The goal isn't to overpower your child or avoid every disagreement. It's to recognize the part of the interaction you actually have power over: your own participation. The boundary can stay. The argument doesn't have to. Think about ONE power struggle that keeps happening in your home. What's the expectation? What consequence have you established? And at what point does the conversation usually turn into an unnecessary back-and-forth? Now ask yourself: What could I say or do differently to end the exchange without changing the expectation? You don't have to win every argument to maintain your authority. Ready to put the POWER Framework into practice? Download the FREE POWER Power Struggle Cheat Sheet inside the Middle School Mayhem™ Parent Vault. Use it to identify a recurring power struggle, clarify your expectation and consequence, recognize the usual back-and-forth, and create your own phrase for ending the exchange. 👉 Access the FREE Parent Vault:https://www.middleschoolmayhem.com/parentvault Hosted by educator and behavior strategist Tamara Braxton, M.Ed., Middle School Mayhem™ helps parents understand adolescent behavior, change the interaction, and strengthen the family. Expect research made practical, relatable parenting experiences, and strategies you can actually use at home. Because Parenting... Doesn't Come With a Pamphlet. #MiddleSchoolMayhem #ParentingTeens #ParentingTweens #ParentTeenConflict #MiddleSchoolParenting

  6. Oct 9

    003: Ep 3: Your Teen Can Disagree With You AND Still Respect You

    Your middle schooler can disagree with you AND still respect you. "I don't agree.""That's not fair.""I don't like that rule." Sound familiar? When your middle schooler starts expressing opinions that don't line up with yours, it can feel like they're challenging your authority. But here's the thing: Disagreement, disrespect, and defiance are NOT the same thing. And when we treat them like they are, we can turn an ordinary disagreement into a power struggle that never needed to happen. In this episode of Middle School Mayhem™, we're talking about how to recognize the difference between a child expressing an opinion, being disrespectful, and actually refusing to follow directions. Because your child is growing up, developing their own perspective, and learning to think independently. And believe it or not, that's something we WANT them to do! That's where the SPACE Framework comes in. S: StatementWhat did your child actually say? Are you responding to their words or what you think those words mean? P: PresentationHow did they say it? Was the delivery disrespectful, or did you simply dislike what they had to say? A: AuthorityWho has the responsibility for making the decision? Your child can have an opinion without having the final say. C: ComplianceAre they disagreeing with the expectation, or are they actually refusing to follow it? E: ExpectationAre you expecting respectful behavior, or are you expecting your child to agree with you? The goal isn't to let your middle schooler do whatever they want. It's to recognize that having authority doesn't mean requiring agreement. Your child can think the rule is unfair.They can wish you'd made a different decision.They can even tell you they disagree. And the boundary can still stand. Before you label disagreement as disrespect, give the interaction a little SPACE. Think about a recent disagreement with your middle schooler. Was the problem what your child said, how they said it, or the fact that they didn't agree with you? Use the SPACE Framework to figure out what actually needed to be addressed. Because sometimes we don't need to change the expectation. We just need to change how we're responding to the disagreement. Want to put the SPACE Framework into practice? Download the FREE SPACE Disagreement Cheat Sheet inside the Middle School Mayhem™ Parent Vault. Use it to examine a recent disagreement, separate disrespect from differences of opinion, and get clearer about when to respond and when to let your child have their own perspective. 👉 Access the FREE Parent Vault:https://www.middleschoolmayhem.com/parentvault Hosted by educator and behavior strategist Tamara Braxton, M.Ed., Middle School Mayhem™ helps parents understand adolescent behavior, change the interaction, and strengthen the family. Expect research made practical, relatable parenting experiences, and strategies you can actually use at home. Because Parenting... Doesn't Come With a Pamphlet. #MiddleSchoolMayhem #ParentingTeens #ParentingTweens #ParentTeenConflict #MiddleSchoolParenting

  7. Oct 9

    002: 4 Ways YOU May Be Keeping the Argument Going

    Your middle schooler may start the argument… but are YOU accidentally helping keep it going? Sometimes we're so focused on getting our child to stop arguing that we don't notice what we're bringing into the interaction. In this episode of Middle School Mayhem™, we're turning the mirror around. Not to blame parents, but to recognize the behaviors that may be keeping the argument going. Because here's the thing: You can't control every response your middle schooler gives you, but you CAN change how you respond. That's where the FUEL Framework comes in. F: Follow Their IntensityWhen your teen raises their voice, rolls their eyes, or catches an attitude, does your intensity rise right along with theirs? U: Use Too Many WordsHave you already made your point, but you're still explaining, lecturing, or repeating yourself because you want your child to agree? E: Engage Every ChallengeDoes every eye roll, side comment, objection, or correction really need a response? L: Load Today With YesterdayAre you addressing today's issue, or bringing up everything your child did last week, last month, and three arguments ago? Recognizing your contribution to an argument doesn't mean taking responsibility for your child's behavior. Your middle schooler is responsible for their behavior. You're responsible for yours. The goal isn't to become the perfect parent who never gets frustrated. It's to recognize when you're adding FUEL to an argument so you can stop feeding the cycle. This week, choose ONE FUEL behavior that made you think, "Ooooh... I do that." 😂 Don't try to change everything overnight. Just pay attention to when it happens, what triggers your response, and what happens next. Awareness comes before change. Ready to figure out where you might be adding FUEL? Download the FREE FUEL Argument Cheat Sheet inside the Middle School Mayhem™ Parent Vault. Use it to identify your patterns, reflect on recent disagreements, and discover where YOU have the power to respond differently. 👉 Access the FREE Parent Vault:https://www.middleschoolmayhem.com/parentvault Hosted by educator and behavior strategist Tamara Braxton, M.Ed., Middle School Mayhem™ helps parents understand adolescent behavior, change the interaction, and strengthen the family. Expect research made practical, relatable parenting experiences, and strategies you can actually use at home. Because Parenting... Doesn't Come With a Pamphlet. #MiddleSchoolMayhem #ParentingTeens #ParentingTweens #ParentTeenConflict #MiddleSchoolParenting

  8. Oct 9

    001: Why You Keep Having the Same Argument With Your Teen

    Do you and your middle schooler keep having the SAME argument… just about different things? One day it’s the phone. The next day it’s homework. Then chores. Then that funky, stinky room. 😩 The subject changes, but somehow the argument feels exactly the same. In this episode of Middle School Mayhem™, we're looking beyond what you're arguing about to uncover the interaction patterns that keep you and your teen having the same disagreements over and over again. Research on parent-adolescent conflict shows that these interactions are often reciprocal. Your teen's response influences yours, and your response influences what happens next. Before you know it, you're both repeating the same moves without even realizing it. That's where the SAME Framework comes in. S: SeparationSeparate the subject of the disagreement from the interaction itself. A: AwarenessRecognize the familiar cues that tell you, "Here we go again." M: MovesIdentify the responses that keep repeating and where YOU can move differently. E: ExamineLook back at your last three arguments to uncover the pattern. The goal isn't to eliminate every disagreement or give up your expectations. It's to recognize what's happening early enough to stop automatically participating in the same cycle. Because sometimes the issue isn't what you're arguing about. It's how you keep arguing about it. Want to put the SAME Framework into practice? Download the FREE SAME Argument Cheat Sheet inside the Middle School Mayhem™ Parent Vault. Use it to examine your last three disagreements, identify recurring patterns, and determine where you can respond differently. 👉 Access the FREE Parent Vault:https://www.middleschoolmayhem.com/parentvault Middle school doesn't come with a manual, but you don't have to figure it out alone. Hosted by educator and behavior strategist Tamara Braxton, Middle School Mayhem™ helps parents understand adolescent behavior, change the interaction, and strengthen the family. Expect research made practical, relatable parenting experiences, and strategies you can actually use at home. Because Parenting... Doesn't Come With a Pamphlet. #MiddleSchoolMayhem #ParentingTeens #ParentingTweens #ParentTeenConflict #MiddleSchoolParenting

  • 8 Episodes

About

Welcome to Middle School Mayhem™ with Tamara Braxton, M.Ed., educator, behavior strategist, and your Mommy Mentor! We're making sense of the terribly terrific tween and teen years with real conversations, relatable parenting experiences, and research-backed strategies you can actually use. From power struggles and emotional outbursts to communication and connection, we're helping you understand adolescent behavior, change the interaction, and strengthen your family. Because Parenting... Doesn't Come With a Pamphlet.

Information

  • Creator
    Tamara Braxton
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Tamara Braxton
  • Show Website
    Middle School Mayhem