The In-Between Years with Dr. Sheryl

Sam Kelly describes a framework for raising kids who see what needs doing and do it, without being told.

Clay Vilhauer published his first book at six. At nine, he and his mom Amber wrote a second one together, for kids who have big feelings and zero interest in discussing them directly.

Dr. Sheryl revisits an episode from the Good Inside podcast, in which Dr. Becky sits down with Dr. Marc Brackett, founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, to talk about his powerful personal story and research. They discuss understanding emotions as data, validating kids’ feelings without overindulging them, and building emotional literacy for the whole family.

Dr. Sheryl talks to Michaeleen Doucleff about the surprising techniques ancient cultures can teach us about parenting into the teenage years.

Dr. Sheryl talks to Gretchen Rubin about what comes after a quiet house.

In honor and memory of Gloria Steinem.

Somewhere around 12 or 13, most kids make a quiet decision about themselves, usually over something small: a friend who stopped texting back, a moment they've never told you about. Psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco, author of Worth, joins Dr. Sheryl to explain what actually helps, and it isn't a pep talk.

A donut emoji as a code word. Chores done in 30 minutes flat. Dr. Kim Van Dusen on why play doesn't stop mattering once your kid hits double digits, it just has to look different.

In this revisit from the Good Inside podcast, Dr. Sheryl and Dr. Becky talk about why puberty today looks so different for our kids than it did for us—and what caregivers can do to support them through it.

Two days before her daughter and oldest child leaves for college, Dr. Sheryl hits record.

Dr. Sheryl sits down with pediatrician Dr. Whitney Casares for a conversation about tweens and body confidence.

Sheryl sits down with Dr. Alex Reed, a clinical psychologist specializing in neurodevelopment, to talk about what ADHD actually looks like as kids move into the teen years.

Dr. Sheryl and Phyllis Fagell talk through why middle schoolers pull away from their parents (and why it's not rejection), the real numbers on how often friendships shift during these years, and the "superpowers," belonging, security, self-regulation, that actually predict resilience.

Your kid is already using AI. The question isn't whether to stop it, it's what they still need from you that a machine can't give. Dr. Dana Suskind, a pediatric surgeon and researcher, has a clear, calming answer.

A revisit from the Good Inside archives, hosted by Dr. Becky.

Dr. Sheryl and Dr. Kyle Ganson get into what's actually happening to boys in a culture built around gym influencers, supplement stacks, looks maxing, and bulking protocols — and why parents sometimes miss the warning signs.

Dr. Sheryl talks with Sarah, the mom of an easy-going 10-year-old who isn't able to open up about his real feelings.

Dr. Sheryl sits down with Sarah Kate Ellis, the President and CEO of GLAAD, the nation's largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization.

We're resurfacing a fan favorite from the flagship Good Inside podcast feed, in which Dr. Becky fields a few phone concerns and questions.

Dr. Sheryl sits down with two of her longtime friends, Lisa and Nancy. One of them became a mom. One of them chose not to have children. And somehow, instead of drifting apart, they kept finding ways back to each other.

A single mom of two navigating perimenopause while raising a teenager and a tween. The hormones. The grief. The "many hats." Dr. Sheryl gets into all of it.

Dr. Sheryl talks with producer, writer, and Amy Poehler's Smart Girls co-founder Meredith Walker about what years of listening to girls has taught her about confidence, belonging, perfectionism, identity, and the exhausting pressure so many girls feel to get everything “right.”

Dr. Sheryl sits down with Emily, a mom of five navigating life with her 12-year-old son, Cooper, who was recently diagnosed with ADHD.

Dr. Sheryl sits down with pediatric and adolescent gynecologist Dr. Charis Chambers, also known as “The Period Doctor,” for a conversation that every parent of a tween or teen needs to hear.

Sibling conflict isn’t a sign that something is wrong — it’s where your kids are learning how relationships actually work.

Dr. Sheryl is joined by psychologist Dr. Juli Fraga, who has spent years studying the emotional lives of parents. Together, they unpack why guilt shows up so quickly in parenting—and why it’s often pointing us in the wrong direction.

Eating disorders affect an estimated 30 million Americans in their lifetime. They are common. They are serious. And they are not caused by “bad parenting.” Dr. Sheryl revisits a recent conversation between Dr. Becky and Dr. Erin Parks, Chief Clinical Officer at Equip Health, to talk about eating disorders and disordered eating in kids and teens—what the early signs look like, what’s happening emotionally underneath, and how parents can respond without escalating shame or control struggles.

The majority of kids today say they want to be influencers. What happens when that shows up in your own home? When your child isn’t just playing or performing… but actively trying to be seen, followed, and validated online? In this episode, a mom of a 10-year-old shares a tension so many parents feel but don’t always say out loud: I’m proud of her confidence… and I’m scared of what she’s chasing. Dr. Sheryl unpacks what’s really driving this desire to be “famous,” why it makes so much sense developmentally, and how to respond without shutting your child down — or leaving them unprotected.

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.

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.

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?

AI is moving fast. Faster than most parents can keep up with.And that’s exactly what scares Carolyn — a mom of two kids who knows technology is coming into her daughter’s life soon, but has no idea how to prepare for something that keeps changing.In this episode, Dr. Sheryl helps reframe the entire problem.