Walking on Eggshells With Your ADHD Tween? Here’s What May Be Happening Underneath

**The Trait That Drives You Crazy Might Be Their Superpower** You ask your kid to do something simple — put their shoes away, come downstairs, stop snapping at their sibling — and suddenly you’re in a full blown argument about your tone, your words, or whether you’re being “mean.” In this episode, 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. But what starts as a conversation about missing assignments and emotional reactions becomes something much deeper: a conversation about sensitivity, literal thinking, overwhelm, repair, and what happens when a parent realizes they might actually share their child’s brain. Together, they unpack: - why some kids seem to hear criticism everywhere - what “deeply feeling” can actually look like in tweens - why ADHD doesn’t always look hyperactive - how overwhelm changes the way both kids and parents communicate - and how repair — even after the hardest moments — can become the foundation of connection If you’ve ever felt like you’re walking on eggshells with your tween, this episode will help you understand what may really be happening underneath the conflict. Thank you to our partners for making this episode possible: - Knix: https://knixteen.com/: Use the code GOODINSIDE for 15% off period underwear

Dr. SherylhostEmilyguest

May 20, 202632mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: May 20, 2026
Duration: 32m
Channel: Good Inside with Dr. Becky
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

**The Trait That Drives You Crazy Might Be Their Superpower** You ask your kid to do something simple — put their shoes away, come downstairs, stop snapping at their sibling — and suddenly you’re in a full blown argument about your tone, your words, or whether you’re being “mean.” In this episode, 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. But what starts as a conversation about missing assignments and emotional reactions becomes something much deeper: a conversation about sensitivity, literal thinking, overwhelm, repair, and what happens when a parent realizes they might actually share their child’s brain. Together, they unpack:
why some kids seem to hear criticism everywhere
what “deeply feeling” can actually look like in tweens
why ADHD doesn’t always look hyperactive
how overwhelm changes the way both kids and parents communicate
and how repair — even after the hardest moments — can become the foundation of connection
If you’ve ever felt like you’re walking on eggshells with your tween, this episode will help you understand what may really be happening underneath the conflict. Thank you to our partners for making this episode possible:
• Knix: https://knixteen.com/: Use the code GOODINSIDE for 15% off period underwear

SPEAKERS

Dr. Sheryl
host
Parenting clinician and podcast host who provides therapeutic-style guidance and interviews guests.
Emily
guest
Guest parent (mom of five) sharing lived experience parenting a 12-year-old recently diagnosed with ADHD.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Good Inside with Dr. Becky, featuring Dr. Sheryl and Emily, Walking on Eggshells With Your ADHD Tween? Here’s What May Be Happening Underneath explores why tweens lash out, blame parents, and how to respond Tweens may accuse parents of being “rude” or “the problem” when they feel overwhelmed, called out, or out of control and are trying to regain steadiness by shifting blame.

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