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.

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