Middle Years with Bridget KerMorris
The middle school years can feel like the start of losing your child.
One day they’re chatty and affectionate. The next they’re rolling their eyes, questioning everything, and leaving you wondering, “Am I doing this all wrong?”
The truth is, middle school isn’t the end of your relationship. It’s the beginning of a new one.
Each week, middle school therapist, coach, and creator of Steady + Connected Parenting™, Bridget KerMorris answers a real question from a real parent. Together, you’ll move beyond quick parenting tips to understand what’s really happening underneath your child’s behavior, what’s getting activated inside of you, and how to lead your family with steadiness, warmth, and confidence.
Whether you’re navigating friendships, technology, ADHD, sibling conflict, identity, motivation, anxiety, or simply wondering how to stay connected to a child who suddenly seems impossible to reach, each episode offers practical tools, fresh perspective, and the kind of relational clarity™ that helps both parents and kids thrive.
Bridget is a Stanford-trained lawyer with thousands of hours of education and experience as a marriage and family therapist specializing in family systems, neurodivergence, and relational trauma. She’s also a mom of seven, currently parenting her fourth middle schooler, and the creator behind @bridget.parentcoach, where more than 100,000 parents turn each day for grounded, compassionate support.
Because your middle schooler isn’t asking for a perfect parent.
They’re asking,
“Do you like me?”
“Will you come back for me?”
This podcast will help you answer, “Yes.”
Middle Years with Bridget KerMorris
Latest Episodes
“I Hate you!!” (exactly what to do when your middle schooler says something cruel)
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?
Everything Is So Unfair! (what to do when your middle schooler puts your parenting on trial)
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 ...
I Don't Like My Middle Schooler Right Now (and I feel terrible about it)
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 ...
What If I Say The Wrong Thing? (parenting with Pride while your child navigates identity and uncertainty) CONTENT NOTE, episode includes brief discussion of depression, self harm, and suicidal ideation
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 ...
My Daughter's Friendship Drama, I Have No Idea What To Do About It (what parents need to know about middle school friendships)
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 epi...