Middle Years with Bridget KerMorris

Why does the same screen-time argument happen every single night? You say it’s time to get off. They say, “One more minute.” You repeat yourself. They push back. And somehow everybody ends up going to bed annoyed. In this episode of Middle Years, I’m talking about the part of technology that wears so many parents down. It's not the screen itself. It's the fight about the screen. We talk...

What do you do when your middle schooler loses her friend group and there is absolutely nothing you can do to make the lunch table go back to the way it was? In this episode of Middle Years, I answer a mom whose eighth-grade daughter has been left out and is heartbroken. We talk about: why friendship loss in middle school is real grief the difference between the social problem and the story your c...

Let me tell you who so often ends up sitting across from a trauma therapist twenty years later: a strong and resilient person. They're the kid who never made a fuss. The kid nobody worried about because she never gave anyone a reason to. Somewhere along the way, we flattened "resilient" into handles hard things without needing anyone. And from the outside, you cannot tell the differ...

Your middle schooler says he’s not lonely. So why are you still worried? In this episode of Middle Years with Bridget KerMorris , I answer a mom whose 12-year-old son is well-liked at school, has ADHD, and rarely reaches out to friends outside of school. She’s wondering whether to trust that he’s genuinely content or worry that difficulty maintaining friendships will catch up with him later. We ta...

Your middle schooler says “leave me alone,” slams the door, or falls apart the second they see you. It can feel like rejection but what if it’s actually a hidden reach? In this episode of Middle Years with Bridget KerMorris, I’m sharing one of the most powerful ideas from my recent workshop, Your Middle Schooler Is Secretly Obsessed With You: the backward glance. That little look your toddler used...

We tell middle schoolers to “work it out on their own” all the time. But what if that advice is leaving kids alone with relationship skills they haven’t actually learned yet? In this episode, I’m sharing a piece of my recent Social Lives of Middle Schoolers workshop and challenging one of the most common rules parents hear about friendship struggles. Because stepping in does not have to mean takin...

How do you make home a safe haven for a middle schooler whose big feelings are loud, when that same loudness makes home feel less safe for everyone else? In this episode, I answer a mom whose 13-year-old is being evaluated for ADHD, has significant sensory sensitivities, and can become loud or aggressive when overwhelmed. We talk about: what sensory overwhelm can actually feel like why ADHD is not...

When your middle schooler is melting down over a stained sweatshirt, a messy room, or something that seems objectively small, it can be hard not to think: Why is this such a crisis? And then the parenting questions start. Is this anxiety? Am I making it worse if I help? Should I be teaching them to tolerate the discomfort? Could this be something like OCD? Or am I overreacting by even wondering? I...

You ask about homework --> Your middle schooler gets defensive. You offer a reminder. --> They hear criticism. And before you know it, both of you are caught in a conversation that feels much bigger than the missing assignment. In this episode, I’m answering a parent whose middle schooler becomes angry whenever help with school is offered. We’ll talk about why needing support can feel so exp...

What if your middle schooler's friendship struggles aren't a sign that something is wrong? What if they're exactly where they're supposed to be? In this special episode of Middle Years , I'm sharing one of the most important sections from my Social Lives of Middle Schoolers workshop. You'll hear the big reframe that changes how I think about middle school friendships:...

Am I too sensitive or is something else going on? Do you ever walk away from a conversation with your middle schooler feeling . . . dismissed and, well, kind of small? Maybe every casual comment turns into a debate. Maybe they correct you, play devil's advocate, or seem determined to prove you wrong. And somewhere in the middle of it all, you find yourself wondering: Am I just too sensitive?...

When your middle schooler says, "I hate you," it hurts. Whether they say it once in a moment of frustration or it has become a daily pattern, those words can leave you wondering: Am I doing something wrong? Should I ignore it? How do I stop this without pushing my child further away? In this episode, I'm answering one parent's heartfelt question about a middle schooler who tell...

Do you ever feel like you’re constantly defending your parenting? Your middle schooler says, “That’s not fair!” and suddenly you’re explaining, justifying, presenting evidence, and reminding them what happened three months ago . . . only to realize you’re somehow arguing your case to a twelve-year-old. If so, you’re not alone. In this episode, we explore why middle schoolers and their siblings bec...

Have you ever looked at your middle schooler and quietly wondered: "I love my child . . . why is it so hard to like them right now?" If so, this episode is for you. In one of the most honest conversations I've had on the podcast, I answer a vulnerable question from a mom who feels hurt, disconnected, and ashamed that she's struggling to like her 13-year-old son. Together, we&ap...

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation in the context of supporting LGBTQIA+ youth. If you're listening with children in the car or this topic feels especially tender, you may want to skip this episode or listen on your own first. Pride Month felt like the right time to have a conversation that so many parents are quietly wondering about...

Friendships can feel like the hardest part of parenting a middle schooler. One day your daughter seems confident and grounded. The next, her mood, interests, or self-esteem seem completely tied to what her friends think. In this episode, we're talking about what friendship drama is really about, why peer relationships suddenly carry so much emotional weight during adolescence, and how to help...

Your middle schooler is smart, capable, funny, and insightful . . . so why are they struggling with things that seem like they should be able to do? In this episode, Bridget answers a parent question about a seventh grader who is capable but has stopped trying in a certain class at school. Along the way, she explores a question most parents never think to ask: What is it costing this child to try?...

Technology might be one of the hardest parts of parenting middle schoolers because technology asks us to lead through uncertainty. In this episode, Bridget answers two questions from parents who are struggling with phones, screen time, pornography exposure, social media, and the pressure to help their children belong in a digital world that often feels overwhelming. Together, we'll explore wh...

In the very first episode of Middle Years, Bridget answers a question from a mom whose sixth-grade daughter was furious with her after a difficult parenting decision. When her daughter skipped volleyball practice and asked her mom to send an email that wasn't truthful, the mom found herself wrestling with a question so many middle school parents face: Should I step in and help, or should I le...

A mom discovers that her 12-year-old son may have his first crush, but he insists he's "too young to date." So what do you do when you know something about your middle schooler that they haven't chosen to share with you? In this episode, Bridget explores the difference between privacy and secrecy, why connection isn't measured by how much our children tell us, and how to b...

Most parents of middle schoolers are trying so hard to get it right. We want to stay connected without hovering, help without overreacting, and raise a kid who feels deeply loved and also capable in the world. Even with the best intentions, these middle years can be tough and it can start to feel like everyone else got a parenting manual you somehow missed. In Middle Years, Bridget KerMorris answe...