Eye rolls. Talking back. That tone that seems to come out of nowhere.

A lot of parents hit this moment around age 9 or 10 — when their once easygoing kid suddenly feels harder to reach, harder to guide, and harder to understand.

In this episode, Dr. Sheryl talks with a mom named Anna who’s navigating this exact shift with her daughter. Alongside the attitude and pushback, her daughter is also dealing with anxiety — leaving Anna wondering:

Are these things connected? And how do I respond in a way that actually helps?

Together, they unpack what’s really going on underneath this stage — why kids start pushing back, how anxiety can show up as irritability, and why this phase isn’t a sign that something is going wrong… but that something new is developing.

You’ll walk away with a powerful reframe — and practical tools to stay steady, set boundaries, and build connection during this in-between stage.

New episodes drop every Wednesday; follow the show on Apple or Spotify so you don't miss a single one!

Follow Dr. Sheryl on Instagram: @drsherylatgoodinside

Get the Good Inside app: Good Inside Teen

Thank you to our partners for making this episode of The In-Between Years possible!

• Equip: Learn about Equip's at-home eating disorder treatment at equip.health/goodinside.

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You finally feel like you’ve figured out your kid.

You know what works! You feel connected! Things make sense!

And then… something shifts.

Suddenly your child is making choices that don’t add up. They’re lying, cutting corners, or acting in ways that feel completely unlike them. And you’re left wondering:
Am I losing influence? Should I step in more? Or am I about to become too controlling?

In today’s episode, Dr. Sheryl sits down with a mom navigating exactly this moment with her 11-year-old son — a child who had always been “easy”… until he wasn’t.

Together, they unpack what’s really happening underneath these confusing behaviors — including:

• Why kids this age start making choices that don’t make sense
• How shame (not “badness”) drives more problematic behavior
• The difference between discipline that controls vs. discipline that teaches
• Why “good kids” can suddenly seem like they’re going off track
• And a simple phrase that can completely change your conversations: “Help me understand”

This episode is about one of the hardest — and most important — parenting shifts:
Letting go of control, while staying deeply connected.

New episodes drop every Wednesday; follow the show on Apple or Spotify so you don't miss a single one!

Follow Dr. Sheryl on Instagram: @drsherylatgoodinside

Get the Good Inside app: Good Inside Teen

Thank you to our partners for making this episode of The In-Between Years possible!

• Equip: Learn about Equip's at-home eating disorder treatment at equip.health/goodinside.

Follow Dr. Sheryl on Instagram

Learn more about Good Inside

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Friendships get more complicated around age 10 — and sometimes kids find themselves caught in the middle of dynamics they don’t know how to handle.

In this episode, Dr. Sheryl sits down with a mom named Erin, whose daughter is trying to stay close with two friends who don’t get along… and keeps getting pulled into the conflict.

Together, they unpack a question so many parents face:
How do I help my child without stepping in too much — or not enough?

You’ll hear:

• Why kids this age often feel responsible for “fixing” friendships
• The subtle shift from giving advice to staying connected
• What to say (and what not to say) when your kid is in the middle
• How to help your child set boundaries without taking over

This episode is about more than friendship drama — it’s about the moment parenting starts to change, and how to stay close while your child learns to navigate the social world on their own.

Follow Dr. Sheryl on Instagram

Learn more about Good Inside

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.