Dr. Becky Kennedy+

Psychologist Reacts: What Ted Lasso Gets Right About Comforting Someone #Shorts

When I saw this scene from Ted Lasso where Ted sits next to Alice while she is upset, I got excited because it perfectly captures what I call the Feelings Bench: resilience comes from sitting with your kid in a hard moment, not pulling them out of it. I hear from so many parents asking what to say to diffuse difficult moments with their kids. But there's something more impactful than sharing a script. And that's sharing a framework, because this is something we can really hold onto. When kids are upset, they are plopped down on the bench of that feeling. It may be an Angry Bench or even a N

Name Your Transition Mode For Your Kids #Shorts

The person walking in the door from work, or coming off a long day, isn't always the version of themselves they want to be. For parents, that's often the hour between work and dinner, or the minute we walk back into the house and our kids need everything at once. Sometimes just simply naming the transition helps. In this week's Good Inside podcast, Melinda and I also get into how women learn to stop trusting themselves, and how to build that trust back. Watch the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.

Melinda French Gates on Learning to Trust Yourself #Shorts

"You were right to notice that." It's a simple phrase but it tells our kids they're the authority on their own experience. That matters for all kids, and especially for our daughters, who get a lot of small messages telling them to doubt their gut. When we believe what our kids notice, we help them grow into adults who can walk into a doctor's office and say, "Something's off, and I need your help figuring out what." In this week's Good Inside podcast, Melinda French Gates and I talk about how women learn to stop trusting themselves and what it takes to build that trust back. Listen wherever

Melinda French Gates on Being a Grandmother: "It's Not About Me" #Shorts

Send this to the grandparent in your life (and maybe even your mother-in-law). I asked @melindafrenchgates if it's hard to watch her daughter parent differently than she did, and her answer stuck with me: "It is so not about me." She sits with the discomfort and gets curious about what she can learn. And she reminds herself that the generation before us did the best they could with what they knew. In this week's Good Inside podcast, Melinda and I also get into how women learn to stop trusting themselves, and how to build that trust back. Watch the full episode wherever you get your podcast

Melinda French Gates on Women's Health and Learning to Trust Yourself | Dr. Becky

At the top of her career, Melinda French Gates started doubting herself in meetings she'd run a hundred times before. The causes turned out to be chronic insomnia, undiagnosed perimenopause, and a habit she'd picked up years earlier of overriding her own signals. Dr. Becky sits down with Melinda, founder of Pivotal Ventures, to talk about how women learn to stop trusting themselves, and what it takes to rebuild that trust. They get into new Gallup research from Pivotal Ventures, where half of respondents who'd been pregnant said they struggled with their mental health during or after pregnanc

Rethinking Confidence #Shorts

Every time we make a hard thing disappear, we take away the chance for our kid to learn something I think is really important: hard doesn't mean I can't do it. This week's episode of the Good Inside podcast is all about raising a confident kid, and I think you're going to love it. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

What Mean Girls can teach us about parenting #Shorts

I was rewatching Mean Girls recently and this scene hits a little different when you have teenagers... It's funny because it's so extreme. But wanting to be close to our kids is real, and as they get older it can feel like they're slipping away a bit. You don't have to be the cool mom to stay connected. You just have to keep showing up.

We don't do chores in my house... #Shorts

Parents ask me about chores all the time. Should I pay my kid? How much? What if they do extra? I get why. We want them to be motivated. But when helping is a transaction, kids start to ask "what do I get?" instead of "what does my family need?" And your teen will probably push back on this. That's okay. You can say, "We all pitch in here because we live here." You don't need a long explanation. Keep saying it and keep them included. Where do you land on paying for chores? Tell me in the comments.

When your teen isn't invited... #Shorts

We've all been there. Not getting invited to something you really wanted to go to hurts, at any age. It stings for adults too, we just get a little better at hiding it. Sometimes, the night of the sleepover can be harder than the day your teen found out about it. Everyone's posting, the group chat is busy, and your kid is home knowing exactly what they're missing. You don't have to plan something big to make up for it. That can feel like a consolation prize, and teens usually pick up on that. Being around helps more. Order their favorite takeout, put on a show, and let the phone rules slide

"American adult children are starved for the adult world."

"American adult children are starved for the adult world." I had such an interesting conversation with @michaeleen.doucleff on this week's episode of The In-Between Years. We spend so much time creating child-first spaces, that we've almost excluded kids from entering our world. Letting kids into YOUR world (even if it feels like the adult world is boring) can build connection between you and your kid, AND build your kid's independence and ability to navigate the adult world when its time. You can listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.

Are You Preparing the Road for Your Kid, or Your Kid for the Road?

Am I preparing the road for my kid, or am I preparing my kid for the road? It's a question I don't think we ask enough. So often, in the name of love, we smooth things out for our kids. We step in before they hit a wall. We create an exit ramp the second something gets hard. It feels protective in the moment, but it can quietly send a message we don't intend: that hard things are dangerous, and that someone else needs to handle them for you. This week's episode of the Good Inside podcast is part of our partnership with @carters on The Childhood Confidence Project, giving parents real, practi

How to Get Your Teen to Help Around the House | Dr. Sheryl

Michaeleen Doucleff is a science journalist, which only partly explains why, a few years ago, she packed up her four-year-old and moved in with a Maya family in the Yucatan, an Inuit family in the Arctic, and a group of Hadza hunter-gatherers in Tanzania. She wanted to know why kids in those cultures seem to grow up more capable, less anxious, and easier to live with. That trip became her book, Hunt, Gather, Parent. They get into why kids are born wanting to help long before we start assigning chores, and how to get a 13-year-old off Instagram and into the kitchen without a fight. They also t

How to Raise a Confident Kid | Dr. Becky

Two parents came to Dr. Becky back to back, both with the same worry: my kid isn't confident. One had a young kid who clung to her at a birthday party while every other kid ran around the gymnastics mat. The other had a teenager who got suspended for staying silent on a group text while other kids were being cruel. One set of parents wanted their kid to join the crowd faster. The other wanted their kid to be able to break from it. In this solo episode, Dr. Becky makes the case that confidence isn't feeling good about yourself. It's trusting yourself even when you don't, and feeling like it's

3 Parenting Moves to Build Self-Trust in Teens | Dr. Becky

When your kid compares themselves to someone else, it's tempting to reassure them. Dr. Becky, clinical psychologist and founder of Good Inside, shares three moves that build real confidence: Don't try to win the comparison, don't rely on praise, and give support instead of exit ramps when they struggle. 📥 Download the three moves: https://www.goodinside.com/teen-screen-scripts-ep-6/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=traffic_teensandscreens&utm_content=description_episode6_clip1_20260928 🔔 Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@goodinside #parenting #confidence #parentingtips

Parenthood shouldn't be your whole identity... #Shorts

This was such a mic drop moment from my conversation with Gretchen Rubin. I think parenthood can feel all-consuming at times. You feel like you always need to be "on," be accessible, be ready to adapt to whatever your kid needs. This is a moment where Two Things Are True. You can be an excellent, available, loving, caring parent AND also have a strong sense of self. You can drive your kid to their hobbies AND also make time for your own. This conversation was full of so many gems. The full episode is out now, wherever you get your podcasts.

Dr. Becky's Thoughts on Gentle Parenting #Shorts

My thoughts on gentle parenting on @callherdaddy. The problem with gentle parenting isn't really the word gentle at all. It's that it usually skips this part entirely: boundaries. Somewhere along the way, a lot of us learned that validating our kid’s feelings and holding a boundary were opposites. That if we cared about how they felt, we had to bend. And if we held the line, we had to ignore how they felt. They’re not opposites. They’re two separate jobs, and you’re allowed to do both at the same time.

"You're fine" doesn't work... #shorts

When your kid tells you something hurt, or scared them, or wasn't fair, it's so tempting to jump straight to "you're fine" or "it's not a big deal." We say it because we want them to feel better. But "I believe you" can do so much more. You don't have to agree with every detail or fix anything, you're just letting them know their experience is real, and over time that's how they learn to trust it themselves. This was such a great conversation with Kate Bowler. The full episode is out now, you can listen or watch at the link in my bio.

You can be okay, even when your kid isn't. #Shorts

If you can't tell how you're feeling until you've checked how your kids are feeling, you're not alone, and it comes from such a loving place. So many of us are giving our kids the kind of attention we wish we'd gotten growing up. But your kid's hard moment doesn't have to set your mood for the whole day. You're allowed to be okay while they're upset, and that's part of what helps them get through it. The full episode with Kate Bowler is out now. Link in bio. I think you'll really like this one.

Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I'm a mom first"? #Shorts

Have you ever caught yourself saying, "I'm a mom first"? This week on The In-Between Years, I was joined by Gretchen Rubin, a happiness expert. We covered a lot of ground in the episode, but we spent a lot of time talking about how to find happiness and fulfillment outside of parenting. The full episode. is available wherever you get your podcasts. There are so many good moments in here that I don't want you to miss.

Availability today earns you a conversation tomorrow #Shorts

Find a moment of joy today. #Shorts

At the end of a hard day, it's so easy to replay the meltdown or the fight at dinner and decide the whole day was a failure. I catch myself doing this too. Tonight, before you go to sleep, try thinking of one moment, even a tiny one, when your kid laughed or leaned into you or just seemed okay. You don't have to pretend the hard parts didn't happen. You're just letting the good part count too. My full conversation with Kate Bowler is out now. Link in bio.

How to Build Your Teen's Confidence | Dr. Becky

📩 DOWNLOAD the free guide: https://www.goodinside.com/teen-screen-scripts-ep-6/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=traffic_teensandscreens&utm_content=description_episode6_20260923 Telling your teen "you're so smart" or "you're a great athlete" feels supportive, but Dr. Becky, clinical psychologist and founder of Good Inside, explains why it's not actually building the thing you're going for: confidence. Chapters 0:00 – "Is social media ruining my kid?" 0:56 – The Duke seminar story that changed everything 2:00 – Your teen's social radar never shuts off 4:13 – Move 1: Stop tr

Stop Calling It "Empty Nest" | Dr. Sheryl

Gretchen Rubin has done this twice: watched one daughter leave for college, and now she's doing it again with her younger one, no sibling left behind to soften the landing. The happiness researcher and #1 New York Times bestselling author joins Dr. Sheryl to make her case for retiring "empty nest" in favor of a phrase she's convinced changes what parents actually do next: open door. They get into what predicts a hard transition, why growth is the real engine of happiness, the line between a friendly acquaintance and an actual friend, and the one piece of advice Gretchen keeps coming back to: c

What is happiness? #Shorts

So many of us treat happiness, for our kids and for ourselves, like something we can earn if we just get enough things right. This conversation with Kate Bowler really made me rethink that. If happiness depends on a lot of things lining up at once, then some days they just won't, and that doesn't mean you did something wrong. It might just mean the small good things deserve more of our attention than we give them. The full episode is out now. Link in bio.

Revealing my average daily screen time... #Shorts

Okay tell me in the comments - what's your average daily screen time? I was pretty shocked to see that I am on my phone twice as much as my teenagers... It's time for us to acknowledge that screen time isn't just a teen issue, it affects all of us. And sometimes, it can get in the way of our relationships with our kids.

Stop Trying to Make Your Kids Happy | Dr. Becky

Was today a good day? Did my kid seem happy? If the answer is no, even a little, it can feel like the whole day failed, like you failed. Dr. Becky sits down with Kate Bowler, a professor at Duke University, to make the case that happiness might be the wrong thing to optimize for in the first place. Happiness, Kate argues, is really just ease: a hundred small circumstances lining up so nothing feels hard. Which means chasing it for your kids can quietly turn you into what Kate calls a professional happiness manager, smoothing every rough edge before it reaches them. Joy is different. It doesn

Rapid Fire Q+A With Dr. Becky #Shorts

Some mornings, certain situations require M&Ms just to get out the door... there I said it. 😅 Thank you @callherdaddy for the fun conversation. You can listen to our full episode at the link in my bio

Why don't you ever listen to me? #Shorts

Why don't you ever listen to me? Why won't you put your phone down? Half the time those aren't really questions, they already have a verdict attached. Chris Voss, the former FBI hostage negotiator I sat down with for this week's Good Inside podcast, explained why "why" backfires: we're all conditioned since we were toddlers to hear it as an accusation. True in hostage negotiations, true at your kitchen table. Hear the rest of our conversation on the Good Inside podcast.

Breaking down the fast-forward error | Dr. Becky

Your teen sits down to write an essay, phone right next to them, and 20 minutes later they've written one sentence. Dr. Becky, clinical psychologist and founder of Good Inside, explains why what you do in that moment matters more than the homework itself. She breaks down what she calls the "fast-forward error": the moment a parent turns tonight's homework struggle into proof of every problem their kid is going to have for the next decade. Dr. Becky walks through why that reaction, more than the phone or the unfinished essay, is what turns a normal teenage moment into a fight, and why a hard n

Parenting for the Short-Term vs. The Long-Term #Shorts

When we parent for the short-term, our goal is often to “fix” the situation, avoid disappointment, or make our kids happy. While well-intentioned, this approach actually robs our kids of building the skills they need to manage the inevitable difficulties of life. Instead, let’s parent for the long-term. Are you with me? Let’s share this reframe far and wide. Good Inside is only a movement because *you* help move these ideas around the world. Thank you @callherdaddy for having me on. Listen to our full conversation wherever you get your podcasts.

Curiosity is a superpower. #Shorts

There's a moment in my conversation with Chris Voss, the former FBI hostage negotiator, that I keep coming back to. He talked about what to do when your kid screams "I hate you," and it's not to defend yourself, it's to get curious. "You hate me?" Not because the words don't sting, but because that curiosity is what keeps him from spiraling into being offended, and if you're offended, you're no good to the person in front of you. Hear the rest of our conversation on the Good Inside podcast.

Sturdy Leadership Lessons from Pilots #Shorts

Every day, as parents, you’re the pilot of your family’s plane. You make decisions - about bedtime, screens, snacks, toys - that your child might protest. Your child’s protest doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It means you’re doing something important. As much as they protest, your child doesn’t actually want to fly the plane. They want to know you’re in control, even when they’re shouting from the passenger seat. Deep down, we all feel safest when someone says: “I know you’re upset. And I’ve still got this.” That’s what sturdiness looks like and it’s what build trust in the long-r

Why "why" backfires #Shorts

Why don't you ever listen to me. Why won't you put your phone down. Half the time those aren't really questions, they already have a verdict attached. Chris Voss, the former FBI hostage negotiator I sat down with for this week's Good Inside podcast, explained why "why" backfires: we're all conditioned since we were toddlers to hear it as an accusation. True in hostage negotiations, true at your kitchen table. Hear the rest of our conversation with @thefbinegotiator on the Good Inside podcast.

Why Your Teen Tracks Your Screen Time (And How to Fix It) | Dr. Sheryl and Dr. Becky

When your teen fires back "you're always on your phone too" in the middle of a conversation about their screen time, it can feel like deflection. Dr. Becky sits down with Dr. Sheryl, clinical psychologist and teen and tween expert at Good Inside, to unpack what's actually underneath that line, and it's not about winning the argument. They cover why teens are especially attuned to hypocrisy, what teens are actually tracking when they clock how much you're on your phone (hint: it's not your screen time, it's your availability), what new research shows about how kids interpret a parent's phone u

Dr. Becky's Parenting Hot Take. #Shorts

Have you made a decision in your house today, and not checked whether your kid was okay with it first? Bedtime, screens, dessert, even dinner. Take a second and actually think about it. If you're struggling to come up with an example, you're not alone, and it's not because you're a pushover. It's because somewhere along the way, a lot of us started treating our kid's buy-in as the thing that makes a decision okay to make. Here's the part I want to say out loud: kids don't actually want that much power. It's heavy. When we hand them a vote on things that are ours to decide, we're not making t

Stop saying "Okaaayyyyyyyyy"#Shorts

Have you ever caught yourself saying "okaaaaaayyyyyyy?" right after telling your kid something was happening, and thought, wait, when did I start doing that? I had to have someone point mine out to me before I could hear it myself. Once you notice it, you start hearing it everywhere, in your own house, in other people's kitchens, on the sidelines of a soccer game. It's such a small habit, barely even a sound, and it undoes basically everything you just said. Some of you may have this down pat. Others may feel confused or may just like a step-by-step process that works … and actually feels

Why Kids Saying No Is a Good Sign | Dr. Becky and Chris Voss

Chris Voss is a former FBI lead kidnapping negotiator, bestselling author of Never Split The Difference, and founder and CEO of The Black Swan Group; a negotiation, training, coaching, and consulting organization that teaches people how to achieve better outcomes in high-stakes conversations. Today, he teaches some of these same skills to parents, and it turns out the thing that gets a hostage-taker to put down a weapon isn't that different from what gets your eight-year-old to put down the tablet. Obviously, kids aren't actual hostage-takers, but in this conversation, Chris and Dr. Becky get

Sibling fights are rarely the whole story.

Sibling fights are rarely about the thing they're fighting about. And sometimes the hardest thing for a kid is to talk about what's really going on with a sibling head-on, so we look for a side door instead. That’s why a show that features siblings, like @gabbysdollhouse, can be exactly that. Watch it together, then say something simple after, low stakes, no lesson attached: “Huh. Sometimes a little sister feels sooo good, and sometimes it can feel sooo hard.” You probably won't get a profound reply. You might get silence. You might get "can I have a snack?" That's okay, I promise it still l

"We can only heal the parts of us that we acknowledge." #Shorts

"We can only heal the parts of us that we acknowledge." Such a mic drop moment from my conversation with @drmarisagfranco. In this week's episode of The In-Between Years, we dive in to the real difference between self-esteem and self-worth. It was such a great conversation, and I can't wait for you all to hear it.

3 sentences we forget we can say to our kids... #Shorts

I used to think good parenting meant having an airtight explanation ready for every rule. What actually changed things in my house was something much simpler: fewer words, said with more certainty. There's nothing wrong with your kid for testing that. And there's nothing wrong with you if you're worn down enough to want to just give in. You just need a few sentences ready before you're standing in it, and that's exactly what I made this video for. And if you want more support putting these into practice, the exact scripts and scenarios, not just the theory, my brand new boundaries program wa

Self-Esteem vs. Self-Worth. #Shorts

In this weeks's episode of The In-Between Years, Dr. Marisa Francoand I talk all about self-worth. This is such an important conversation, and based on all the DMs I get, I think this will really resonate with you all. We also got into why "you're so great" can backfire. Why unprocessed memories don't just sit in the past, they shape what your kid expects to happen next. And what to do instead: slow down, get curious, let them feel seen instead of fixed.

Why 'Last Warning!' Never Really Works #Shorts

You've said "last warning" more times tonight than you can count, and by the third one, you both know it doesn't mean anything. Here's what I've learned, as a psychologist and as a mom who's said "last warning" too: warnings ask your kid to change their behavior before anything actually happens. Boundaries don't ask anything of your kid at all. They're about what you're going to do. That shift changes everything. A boundary doesn't need your kid's cooperation to work, which means you can stop negotiating and start acting, and you can stay close to your kid while they're upset about it instea

What Secure Attachment Actually Looks Like (It's Not What You Think) | Dr. Sheryl

Somewhere around 12 or 13, most kids make a quiet decision about themselves: that they're likable, or too much, that they belong, or that they're better off not needing anyone. It usually happens over something small, like a friend who stopped texting back. Psychologist Dr. Marisa Franco, author of Worth (and Platonic), sits down with Dr. Sheryl to talk about what's actually happening in that decision and what it takes to undo it. Dr. Franco breaks down the real difference between self-esteem and self-worth: one kind of high self-esteem pushes shame away and gets defensive the moment it surfa

College parent Facebook groups. #Shorts

So I'm in my parent Facebook group for my daughter's college and wow...it is so interesting seeing other parents go through this transition. Are you in any parent Facebook groups? Do you find them to be helpful?

Misty Copeland: "I remember feeling invisible, yet so visible"

I'm still thinking about this moment from my conversation with @mistyonpointe. She was told to paint her skin to match the rest of the corps, and she described feeling invisible and hyper-visible all at once. Both true, at the exact same time. On this week's episode of the Good Inside Podcast, Misty and I talk about this exact moment, the mentors who taught her to advocate for herself, and what confidence looks like once you stop having to prove it. Hear the rest of our conversation on the Good Inside podcast.

What Prince Taught Misty Copeland About Confidence #Shorts

Prince, parenting, ballet and everything in between. My full conversation with @mistyonpointe is out now on the Good Inside podcast now.

Decision Fatigue Hack #Shorts

Have you heard the term "decision fatigue"? Hear my full conversation with Lauren Smith Brody in the final episode of our 3-part series on the Rattled podcast with @caredotcom. Listen wherever you get your podcasts!

Welcome to Good Inside

Parenting doesn't come naturally. Dr. Becky explains why "instinct" isn't the parenting superpower we think it is. What feels natural is just what you learned growing up, so when your kid screams "I hate you" or lies to your face, Good Inside gives you the tools instinct alone can't. 🌐 More at goodinside.com Follow us on social media for more parenting content: ➡️ Good Inside on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodinside/ ➡️ Dr. Becky on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbeckyatgoodinside/ ➡️ Dr. Sheryl on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsherylatgoodinside/ ➡️ Dr. Beck

The Screen Time Double Standard No One Talks About | Dr. Becky and Dr. Sheryl

📩 Download the free guide: https://www.goodinside.com/teen-screen-scripts-ep-5/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=traffic_yt_teens_screens&utm_content=episode5_09082026 📌 Watch more from the Teens & Screens series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTv3fzTDpmm8 🌐 More at goodinside.com/lp/teen-parenting Before you bring up your teen's screen time again, go check your own. This episode turns the mirror around: Dr. Becky calls herself out first, then Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, clinical psychologist and Good Inside's teen and tween expert, breaks down why the "you're always

Misty Copeland on Safety, Confidence, and Raising Her Son Differently | Dr. Becky

Misty Copeland grew up sleeping on a motel floor with five siblings, unsure where the next meal was coming from. At 13, she walked into her first ballet class and felt something she'd never felt before: safe. Dr. Becky talks with the first Black woman to become a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre about the years she was asked to paint her skin to match the rest of the corps, the mentors who taught her to advocate for herself, and what confidence looks like once you stop having to prove it. Plus: how she's raising her own son with the stability she spent her childhood without, and why

Psychologist Reacts to Kindergarten Classroom Tour #Shorts

@itsmissjazzy if you're seeing this: you are such a light for these kids. Starting kindergarten is hard for kids, and it might be even harder for the parents. The energy you bring into that classroom is exactly the kind that helps families feel okay letting go. Thank you for your joy. I also know that sometimes videos we see online can bring up a little bit of "why doesn't my house look like that" for a lot of us. And that's such a normal feeling. My days don't always have that built-in positivity either. But here's what I'm choosing instead: I'm not going to say I can't do that. I'm going

Clinical Psychologist Reacts to First Day of School Pick-up #Shorts

I saw this video from @katstickler about quiet time after school, and I loved it so much. I'm sure a lot of you will relate too, that pull to jump in with a hundred questions the second your kid gets in the car. If you're wondering why "how was your day?" so often gets a "fine" it's because your kid hasn't switched from school mode to home mode yet. School mode is armor. All day, they're reading the room, managing their face, figuring out where they stand, that takes real effort we don't always credit them for. Home mode is where the armor comes off. And that switch doesn't flip the second

Gloria Steinem on Raising the Next Generation | Dr. Becky & Gloria Steinem in Conversation

A few weeks ago, Dr. Becky was invited to lead one of Gloria Steinem's famous talking circles - groups brought together to debate and create around a shared topic of urgent social interest. After the circle, they sat down in Gloria's bedroom to talk about her decades-long career, the urgency of raising boys and girls as equals, and what Gloria learned by watching her own parents. We're sharing that conversation now in memory of Gloria's passing at the age of 92. Chapters: 0:00–1:52: Intro & raising sons more like daughters 1:52–4:07: Letting boys feel: emotion, crying, and repression 4:07–6:

Parenting Through Play with @theparentologist

Somewhere around 11, your kid stops playing "the floor is lava" with you. A lot of parents quietly stop trying to connect that way and never start again. Dr. Kim Van Dusen (@theparentologist) isn't buying it. She's spent almost 25 years studying play, she's a licensed marriage and family therapist and registered play therapist, and she just wrote a book called Parenting Through Play. She's also a mom to a 12-year-old and a 9-year-old, so she's living the tween years right now, right alongside everyone listening. In this conversation, Dr. Kim and Dr. Sheryl talk through what play actually loo

"Do you get acne before or after your period?" #Shorts

"Do you get acne before or after your period?" This is a a real (anonymous) question that a teen or tween has written for me at my private practice. I get LOTS of questions about puberty in my question jar. This is why it's so important to be proactive about puberty talks with your kids, before they have to bring it up first. It's not easy for a kid to ask their parent these things, especially when everything already feels new, and maybe even embarrassing.

Raising Kids Who Are Strong Inside AND Out #Shorts

I've been sitting on this news for weeks and I can finally share it. 🎉 Good Inside and KidStrong are officially partnering, and this is unlike anything we've done before. For the first time, Good Inside isn't just showing up for parents, we're showing up for kids too. I'll be bringing the Good Inside method to all KidStrong locations, right there on the blue floor. Each KidStrong class combines brain, physical and character challenges, led by highly trained coaches who understand what kids are up against. It's not just about strong bodies. It's about kids who believe they can, which perfectl

Psychologist Reacts: Healing is Your Responsibility #Shorts

I saw a video this week with a comment underneath it that stopped me: "Your trauma may not be your fault. Healing is your responsibility." And I couldn't stop thinking about how much this applies to parenting too. So many parents ask me some version of: can it just be my kid's fault? Can they just own it? And I get it, because if it's your kid's fault, you're off the hook. But fault was never a useful question to begin with. Here's the distinction I actually care about. It's not your fault your kid is struggling. It never was. But you're still the one with the power to shift the environment,

Why Going Back to Work After Baby Feels So Hard | Dr. Becky

Thank you to our partners for making this episode possible: Pampers Easy Ups: Start your potty training journey with Peppa Pig Pampers Easy Ups Airbnb: Host your home or book your next stay on Airbnb (https://click.pscrb.fm/2f) LMNT: Get a free gift with your purchase at drinkLMNT.com/goodinside Oso & Me: Use the code OSOGOOD15 for 15% off clothes newborn through age ten (https://www.osoandme.com/) Care.com: For a limited time, you can use the code BECKY35 to save 35% on a Care.com Premium Membership.* *Offer applies to initial term of Care.com membership subscriptions. Not applicable t

237 notifications a day... #Shorts

The average teen gets 237 notifications a day. Some are getting closer to 5,000. Even just during the hour they're supposed to be doing homework, that can add up to 50 to 100 notifications. On our newest episode of Teens & Screens, @drbeckyatgoodinside and I get into why this fight looks so different than it used to. Screens aren't just a distraction from your teen's social life anymore. They are their social life, running through group chats, Snapchat, and TikTok at the same time as everything else.

The Secret to Fewer Homework Battles | Dr. Becky and Dr. Sheryl

📩 Download the FREE homework guide here: https://www.goodinside.com/teen-screen-scripts-ep-4/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=acq_yt_teens_screens&utm_content=description_episode4_202608025 📌 Watch more from the Teens & Screens series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTv3fzTDpmm8 🌐 More at https://www.goodinside.com/lp/teen-parenting/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=traffic_yt_teens_screens&utm_content=description_episode4_202608025 📝 Common Sense Media study referenced: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/20

"What if I get my first period at school?" #Shorts

"What if when you have your period and ask to go to the nurse's office, the teacher asks me, 'why?'" This is a a real (anonymous) question that a teen or tween has written for me at my private practice. It's back-to-school season, and navigating periods and school is definitely on tweens' and teens' minds. My biggest recommendation for helping your kid feel better about getting their period at school is to give them a confidence kit. A little pouch with pads, tampons, and a change of underwear in case they need it. A little preparation can make our kids feel SO much more confident.

📣 Keep your brilliant ideas to yourself! #Shorts

📣 Keep your brilliant ideas to yourself! I know that sounds counterintuitive but hear me out.... I think most of us grew up believing that being a good parent means having the answer ready. Your kid struggles, you swoop in, problem solved, everyone feels better for a second. Here's what took me a long time to see. Every time I do that, I'm not actually helping my kid, I'm just proving to them that the good ideas live in *me*, not in *them.* And they feel that, even if neither of us says it out loud. Self trust doesn't come from a childhood free of struggle. It comes from a kid sitting in

My thoughts on my daughter leaving for college. #Shorts

I promise this will be the last clip of me crying for a while...😅 I'm so proud of my daughter. And I'm proud to have raised a kid who can walk on to a college campus and think to herself, "I've got this." And I'm going to miss her so so much. Two things can be true: My daughter is ready to leave for college and I'm going to grieve her absence. I have prepared her for this moment and this moment will be hard for me.

Did you have rules you swore you'd keep before you actually had kids, and then didn't? #shorts

Raise your hand if you had rules you swore you'd keep before you actually had kids, and then didn't... 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️🙋‍♀️ This clip from @sooootruepod had me laughing and thinking about how many things I swore I'd do as a parent before I had kids. Tell me in the comments - What is something that you have done as a parent that you swore you'd never do? Remember, there's never any judgment here. Video credit: @sooootruepod

There is no preparing for your kids to leave/ #shorts

The night before I recorded this podcast, I walked past my daughter's room and saw the closet half packed. That was it. I sat down right there in the hallway and cried. I have two psychology degrees and a podcast about parenting, and none of it made a difference in that moment. Knowing something in your head does not mean your heart has caught up yet. If a closet, an empty chair, or a too quiet room has caught you off guard this week too, I see you.

What your teen really means when they say "I'm the only one" | Dr. Becky and Dr. Sheryl

When your teen shoots back "I'm the only one" or "everyone else is allowed," it can feel like manipulation. Dr. Becky sits down with Dr. Sheryl, clinical psychologist and teen expert at Good Inside, to unpack what's actually going on underneath that line — and it's not about winning an argument. They cover why this phrase is really about belonging and the fear of not fitting in, the three things to avoid saying in the heat of the moment, how to reflect your teen's feelings back to them once things cool down, and why holding an unpopular boundary now can pay off years later. Chapters 0:00 – I

How do you Become Okay with Someone Else Watching Your Baby? #Shorts

How do you emotionally prepare to leave your baby for the first time? After having a baby, it's normal to feel anxious about this. You might wonder if what you're feeling is normal, if you're leaving too early, or how long is the "right" amount of time to be away. You want certainty that you're doing it right. Here's the truth: there's no single right answer. But there are strategies that can help you manage the anxiety that comes with this step. Listen to episode 2 of our new 3-part series on the Rattled podcast with Care.com, all about new parenthood and childcare. Available wherever you

Sleep Training, Screen Time & Parenting Myths | Dr. Becky & Dr. Emily Oster

"You don't have what it takes." That's the sentence that ran through Dr. Becky's head the night her baby threw up an entire bottle on her, minutes before she was due out the door. It's not a sentence parenting experts are "supposed to" have. Dr. Becky sits down with Emily Oster — economist, Brown University professor, founder of ParentData, and author of Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm, and The Unexpected — to play a game: Science, or Vibes? They sort real claims parents hear all the time, on peanuts and allergy prevention, breastfeeding and attachment, sleep training, screen tim

Your feelings are not your kid's responsibility. #Shorts

Oof. This week's podcast was a toughie. I filmed this last week, 2 days before dropping my daughter off at college. For parents going through this transition - I know it's so hard, but I want you to remember that it is not your kid's job to manage your feelings. They have enough going on. They are moving away from home to a foreign place full of new people. It's okay (and completely normal) for you to have lots of feelings about this transition. What's important is that you keep your feeling to the size of the room, and don't push it on to your kid.

The Truth About College Drop-Off Day | Dr. Sheryl

Two days before her daughter and oldest child leaves for college, Dr. Sheryl hits record and doesn't clean it up: the grief and the relief showing up in the same moment, the packing-list control spiral, the "boring on purpose" plan for the last 48 hours, and the line she's repeated to a thousand parents that suddenly means something different from the other side of the experience. If you're in your own version of this countdown — bins taped up, closet half empty, a text you're waiting on — this episode is for you. Thank you to our partners for making this episode possible: Yoto: Get 15% off

"What do you do if someone is pressuring you and you say no, but they don't listen?" #Shorts

"What do you do if someone is pressuring you and you say no, but they don't listen?" This is a a real (anonymous) question that a teen or tween has written for me at my private practice. One of the most common topics I get asked about (from both teens and parents alike) is friendship struggles and peer pressure. My advice to teens who are dealing with peer pressure: walk away. If someone is pressuring you to do something that you do not want to do, you do not have to keeping hanging out with them. You can leave and find another friend or a trusted adult. Parents - I want you to remember t

Why it's okay to change your mind about your teen's phone rule | Dr. Becky

Made a rule about phones and now regret it? Dr. Becky, clinical psychologist and founder of Good Inside, explains why changing a rule you already set isn't inconsistency — it's good parenting. She breaks down the "pilot mindset": just like a pilot who gets new information mid-flight and changes course to keep passengers safe, you're allowed to make a new call on the phone-in-the-bedroom rule once you understand why it matters. Your job as the parent isn't to keep every promise; it's to keep your kid safe, even if that means going back on something you said was okay. 🔔 Subscribe for more con

How to talk to your teen about their phone without starting a fight | Dr. Becky

Lecturing your teen about their phone doesn't work, and it might be making things worse. Dr. Becky, clinical psychologist and founder of Good Inside, walks through three practical steps for changing how these conversations go, starting tonight. They cover why timing matters more than the words you use, how to talk to your teen like you're on the same team instead of the enemy, and two low-pressure ways to give your teen something to reach for besides their phone. Chapters 0:00 – Step 1: Wait for the right moment 0:49 – Step 2: Talk to your kid like you're on the same team 1:44 – Step 3: Give

What to Say to Your Kid on the First Day of School (Instead of the Usual) #Shorts

If back to school is stirring up big feelings, in your kid and in you, you are not alone. New teacher. New routine. New everything. Of course this feels like a lot. And underneath all of it, your kid is looking right at you to figure out how worried, or anxious, or excited they should be. I used to think my job in these moments was having the right facts ready or the perfect explanation. What actually helped my own kids more was something simpler: staying calm near them and letting them borrow that calm for themselves. If you want more advice from me on what to say beyond the first day of

3 ways to connect with your kid on their first day of school. #Shorts

If back to school is stirring up big feelings, in your kid and in you, you are not alone. New teacher. New routine. New everything. Of course this feels like a lot. And underneath all of it, your kid is looking right at you to figure out how worried, or anxious, or excited they should be. I used to think my job in these moments was having the right facts ready or the perfect explanation. What actually helped my own kids more was something simpler: staying calm near them and letting them borrow that calm for themselves. There's nothing wrong with your kid for needing that. And there's nothi

Boundaries and body talk. #shorts

Do you have someone in your family that make comments about your kid's body, and you freeze because you don't know what to say back? This week on The In-Between Years, @modernmommydoc and I talked about body image, and one thing stuck with me: we can't control what other people say, but we can set boundaries in our own homes. If a comment happens in front of your kid, that's the moment to step in. Or you can even prepare your kid by giving them language to use themselves, something like "we don't talk about bodies that way here."

I Read Your "Nothing Works" Reddit Posts. Here's What I Found #Shorts

Our kids go through difficult stages - yes, my kids too! When there’s hitting, kicking, biting - these are some of the most challenging moments we face. And yet often, we end up intervening in ways that - while 100% well-intentioned - can lead to more rather than fewer problem behaviors. I spent two hours in a Reddit thread called "Nothing Works," reading real questions from parents in the thick of it. So I recorded a full episode of the Good Inside podcast answering them, including exactly what to do when your kid won't stop hitting. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

What's Actually Happening Inside Your Kid's Brain when They Hit #Shorts

Hitting, biting, throwing - aggressive behavior is a signal, not a bad-kid problem, and here's what actually helps. I spent two hours in a Reddit thread literally called "Nothing Works" and recorded an episode answering real questions from that thread, including what to do when your kid won't stop hitting. You can check out the full episode of the Good Inside podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Why Leaving Your Baby Feels So Scary (Even When They're Safe) | Dr. Becky

Ten days. Three weeks. Two and a half years. Ask a room full of parents when they first left their baby with someone else, and you'll get every answer there is. Dr. Becky says the number matters less than what's happening underneath it. In this solo episode, the second in a three-part series with Care.com, Becky breaks down the anxiety that shows up when it's time to hand your baby to someone else, even someone you trust. She names the pattern behind it: emotional reasoning, the habit of mistaking how scared you feel for how likely something is to go wrong. She also gives that scared part of

Choosing the Right Childcare for Your Family #Shorts

“How do I know what the right childcare is for my baby?” Every parent asks some version of this. And underneath the question is something so tender: I love this baby more than anything, and I need to know I'm not getting this wrong. We want a guarantee. A green light. Some magic answer that will finally make us sure. Here's the real answer: there is no one perfectly right choice. There's no caregiver who will do it exactly the way you do it, and there's no decision that comes with a guarantee. There is just a thoughtful parent, making the best call they can with love and good information.

Dr. Becky: Why Your Kid's First Boundary Shouldn't Be Social Media #Shorts

Hot take: boundaries aren't about controlling your kid. In a family system, I think about roles, or even "jobs," like this: parents establish safety through boundaries, validation, and empathy. Children explore and learn, through expressing their emotions and wants. Boundaries aren't a one-time thing you introduce when the stakes get high, they're a muscle you and your kid build together, starting small. If the first boundary you ever set is around phones and social media, your kid isn't just upset about the phone, they're upset because you've never said no before, and now you're doing it w

One research-backed, simple way to connect with your teen. #shorts

Parents, it's not just teens who are struggling with a phone addiction. ⁠ ⁠ There are so many reasons to look at your phone. Texts from your kids, work messages, a never-ending stream of notifications. But, when you look to your phone when your teen is looking to you, that can cause them to feel less secure and more distrustful of you. ⁠ ⁠ I know that your teen is more important to you than whatever is on your screen, make sure that your teen knows that too.

Were You Raised to be a "Good Girl"?

Being a "good girl" teaches you to gaze out. You become an expert on your environment, reading the room, tracking everyone else's needs, staying a step ahead of whatever might upset someone. And somewhere along the way, you often learn that your worth, your value, even your safety, is tied to meeting those needs. Belle Burden knows this well, she was nicknamed "Belle the Good Burden" growing up. On this week's episode, we talk about what happens when the life you built around being "good" stops protecting you. I can't wait for you to hear our full conversation. Listen wherever you get your p

Belle Burden on Letting Go of Being the 'Good Girl' #Shorts

Belle Burden was "Belle the Good Burden" growing up. And I think we all know what that means. Easy. Compliant. Follows the rules. Maybe even the "favorite child." A lot of us were that kid, too. On this week's episode of the Good Inside Podcast, Belle and I spent a lot of time talking about the concept of being a "good girl" and how Belle is shedding that nickname once and for all. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Announcing NEW Teens & Screens Series #shorts

I am SO excited to finally share this with you.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ I'm teaming up with Good Inside teen expert Dr. Sheryl Ziegler to make something we both wish existed years ago: Teens and Screens. A new series on YouTube where we go deep on what's actually going on for teenagers and technology - not to scare you, but so you can understand your kid and know what to actually do.⁠ ⁠⁠ If you have a teenager, you already know: telling them to get off their phone doesn't work. It usually just ends in a fight, a slammed door and more disconnection. ⁠ ⁠ Here's what I've learned: the phone isn't the whole problem.

Why “Get Off Your Phone!” Never Works | Dr. Becky and Dr. Sheryl

📩 Download the FREE script here: https://www.goodinside.com/teen-screen-scripts/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=acq_yt_teens_screens&utm_content=description_episode2_20260721%20 🔔 Subscribe for more conversations that bring clarity and confidence to the everyday moments of raising teens: https://www.youtube.com/@goodinside 📌 Watch more from the Teens & Screens series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTv3fzTDpmm8 🌐 More at www.goodinside.com/lp/teen-parenting/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=acq_yt_teens_screens&utm_content=description_episode2

Are you invalidating your child's emotional experience?

Validation is believing your kid's emotional experience is real and true, even if you don't agree or understand it. And invalidation is not always mean, or done intentionally. It might even be when you think you're showing love...⁠ ⁠ Here's the thing: when teens feel invalidated, they escalate and pull away from you. They lose trust that you see them⁠ ⁠ When they feel validated, they stay connected to you and learn to regulate their own emotions. ⁠

The Moment Morgan Radford Knew Pregnancy Brain Was Real

One of the hardest parts of new parenthood? The moment your mind - the thing you've always counted on - suddenly doesn't feel like yours anymore. Morgan Radford shared her experience on Rattled, which is exactly what this show is all about. Because the things nobody warns you about deserve to be said out loud. Listen to the full episode of Rattled wherever you get your podcasts.

The Parts of New Motherhood Nobody Prepared Me For | Morgan Radford & Dr. Becky

Morgan Radford thought she knew herself before becoming a mom: adventurous, ambitious, always chasing novelty and new experiences. Then motherhood arrived — along with postpartum pain, brain fog, fear, comparison, and the shocking feeling that her body and mind no longer belonged to her. In this deeply honest conversation, NBC News anchor and author Morgan Radford talks with Dr. Becky about the parts of new motherhood nobody prepared her for: the physical recovery, the mental disorientation, the pressure to “bounce back,” and the panic that the hardest parts might last forever. But this epis

How your emotions can get in the way of really seeing your kid

Your kid comes to you and says: "I didn't like that you went out to dinner last night. I had homework and I wanted you to be there." There's a fork in the road in that moment. Road one: it feels like a dagger. Suddenly you're not thinking about your kid at all - you're managing your own guilt, your own defensiveness. I've been home 45 nights in a row. This is ONE night." Road two: you see it as a window. Not an attack - information. A peek into your kid's inner world that's probably about more than just one dinner. Dr. Lindsay Gibson broke it down on this week's Good Inside Podcast in a way

Emotional Maturity Is Built in Moments Like This

Emotional maturity isn't built in the big, perfect parenting moments. It's built in the small ones - like when you feel the impulse to lose it... and you don't. Dr. Lindsay Gibson joined me on the Good Inside Podcast this week and said something I haven't been able to stop thinking about: resisting that impulse *is* the work. Not because you handled the moment perfectly. But because you kept the long-range outcome in mind. This doesn't mean ignoring the behavior or letting it slide. Getting curious about why your kid is acting out is actually what makes it possible to step in effectively -

How to Raise Emotionally Mature Kids | Dr. Lindsay Gibson & Dr. Becky

Why Your Kid’s Behavior Feels So Big Dr. Lindsay C. Gibson has helped millions of readers understand the lasting impact of emotionally immature parents. In this conversation, she joins Dr. Becky to explore the other side of the equation: how we raise emotionally mature kids. They discuss why kids’ behavior can feel so activating, the difference between emotions being a “master” versus an “advisor,” why emotional maturity has nothing to do with perfection, and how connection is built in tiny everyday moments—not just the hard ones. This episode is for every parent who’s ever thought: *Why di

My Son Had a Bad Day. Instead of Fixing It, I Did This

Try this the next time your kid tells you about a rough moment. Skip the solution. Skip the "next time." Instead, get curious. Picture yourself there. If you had been on the sideline when they struck out, what would you have done? "I would have given you the biggest hug and reminded you that one moment doesn't define you." If you had been at that birthday party when they felt left out, what would you have said? "I would have sat right next to you and told you how brave you are, even when things feel hard." That's infusing your presence. And it's not just comforting - it's actually rewiring

What I Wish I Knew Before Having a Baby

What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had a baby? So many parents walk into completely predictable experiences feeling shocked and alone. And when no one talks about these things, it’s easy to assume: “Maybe it’s just me.”⁠ ⁠ It’s not just you.⁠ ⁠ That's why we're building Good Inside Baby. Because we believe sharing stories matters. Because sometimes reading one honest comment can make someone feel less broken, less ashamed, and a little more prepared for what’s ahead.⁠ ⁠ So I'd love to hear from you 💛 What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had a baby?⁠