We just made another mom cry. But wait until you hear why.

So we’re recording this new program on how to have difficult discussions and turn conflict into cooperation. Casey and I are in a home studio modeling actual discussions that parents and kids can have. We are oblivious to a decade-long drama playing out behind the scenes.

Partway through, the sound engineer (let’s call her Julie) gets up, dabs her eyes, and rushes out of the room with a hushed apology. Casey and I look at each other awkwardly, like, “Did we say something wrong?!” I quickly blame Casey, of course!

Julie comes back fifteen minutes later with her lanky eleven-year-old daughter, Sarah, both with tear-stained cheeks. They tell us their story

Julie and Sarah have had power struggles since the womb. Each thought they could “win” by proving their point: Mom by lecturing, scolding, and taking away every privilege; daughter by shutting down and refusing to do anything. Both lost.

Julie confessed, “As I heard Casey speak, I saw my daughter in him. I’d never really LISTENED to her. Oh, I’ve heard the disrespect and the I-don’t-care-attitude. But for some reason, today I truly listened and heard the pain and frustration underneath, never realizing what it’s like to be so different from your classmates. And siblings. So I copied the exact quote off the script you gave me and texted an apology to Sarah. I didn’t expect to hear back from her, but thought I’d try humbling myself.”

What Mom didn’t know was that her daughter was in the next room listening. She apparently liked the tall kid recording this (Casey!), who seemed to understand her. Her Mom’s humble text broke that wall in her and she replied back. Of course she’s a strong-willed child so she didn’t use Casey’s exact words! That would be too easy! But she shared the text with us:

“Mom, I’ve never felt truly accepted by you, but now I realize that I need to own my part. I’ve been difficult, sometimes on purpose. And even though I don’t always agree with you, I know that you love me and want what’s best for me. I’m sorry and want us to be closer.”

Wow. An 11-year-old just learned how to be responsible for herself and have a difficult discussion. If you wonder why we are so excited about this new program, that’s why. Your kids may not listen to you, but they listen to my son because he’s one of them.

Listen (truly listen). Acknowledge. Own your part. That’s how you do it. For the first time, both mom and daughter truly heard each other instead of trying to prove her point. This time, both won. Respect. Cooperation. The opportunity to build a closer relationship.

HUGE BONUS POINT. You probably spend most of your energy trying to make your kids care about school, grades, chores, and good behavior…and forget to build the relationship. Ironically, a relationship built on trust will more quickly result in greater cooperation and motivation to be successful.

• Build mutual trust and cooperation. Rebuild a broken relationship.
• Casey teaches kids how to disagree respectfully without being rude.
• Kirk teaches parents how to problem solve without escalating situations or denigrating kids.
• Turn even the most irritating traits into advantages.

What if conflict is a huge opportunity to build trust and a closer relationship? And what if trust and a closer relationship ultimately lead to mutual cooperation in the home?

You get a Playbook, or Cheat Sheet, with the actual conversations that parents and kids are emailing to each other to resolve issues now before the stress of the school year kicks back in.

SPECIAL OFFER: The regular price of this program with be $197. But the first 50 families who order get the downloads, playbook, and cheat sheet for only $97.