The In-Between Years with Dr. Sheryl
Good Inside
The In-Between Years with Dr. Sheryl is a podcast from Good Inside for parents or adults raising, caring for, or loving a tween or teen. Hosted by clinical psychologist and mom of three Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, this show explores what’s really happening during this intense and transformative stage of life — from big emotions and shifting friendships to dating, academic pressure, social media, identity, and body changes. Each episode slows things down and looks beneath the surface so you can respond instead of react — because your kid may be growing up, but that doesn’t mean they need you less. They need you differently.
**About Good Inside**
Good Inside helps parents raise confident, resilient kids. Founded by clinical psychologist and mom of three Dr. Becky, our unique approach helps families solve current challenges, and get ahead of future ones, by focusing on the child behind the behavior and the parent behind the parenting.
With an app, workshops, podcast, books, and GiGi — a proprietary chatbot trained in the Good Inside approach — members have 24/7 access to personalized, practical support for every age and stage of parenting. No question is too specific, no scenario too tricky to untangle. It’s real, sturdy guidance parents can lean on in the moment, helping them feel capable, grounded, and never alone.
goodinside.com
**About Good Inside**
Good Inside helps parents raise confident, resilient kids. Founded by clinical psychologist and mom of three Dr. Becky, our unique approach helps families solve current challenges, and get ahead of future ones, by focusing on the child behind the behavior and the parent behind the parenting.
With an app, workshops, podcast, books, and GiGi — a proprietary chatbot trained in the Good Inside approach — members have 24/7 access to personalized, practical support for every age and stage of parenting. No question is too specific, no scenario too tricky to untangle. It’s real, sturdy guidance parents can lean on in the moment, helping them feel capable, grounded, and never alone.
goodinside.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 1, 2026 • 25min
Who Is This Kid? (When Your Tween Suddenly Changes)
A mom describes her once-easy 11-year-old suddenly cutting corners, lying, and testing boundaries. They explore why tweens make baffling choices and how shame, not badness, fuels spirals. The conversation contrasts controlling punishment with teaching discipline and shares a simple curiosity prompt that defuses conflict. The focus is on staying connected while letting go of control.
Mar 25, 2026 • 33min
When Your Kid Gets Stuck in the Middle of Friend Drama
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.
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Mar 18, 2026 • 29min
Your Kid Will Use AI. Here’s What Matters More.
Parents’ AI fears are reframed as worries about kids growing up. Practical ways to introduce AI without making it forbidden fruit are explored. Tips for staying curious, modeling conversation, and making a family pact about seeking people before bots are discussed. Guidance for calm responses when kids consult AI and for managing smart speakers with young children is offered.
9 snips
Mar 12, 2026 • 33min
The Parenting Shift Nobody Prepares You For (Introducing The In-Between Years)
Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, a clinical psychologist who specializes in tweens and teens, explains the surprising parenting shift as kids pull away. She discusses why familiar strategies stop working. Short takes cover the run-pursue cycle, becoming a steady anchor instead of a playmate, being present without overdoing it, setting kind boundaries, and framing puberty as a transition, not a rupture.
