Middle school can look like one long string of overreactions: the friendship blowups, the slammed doors, the "I don't know" answers, the sudden need for privacy. Phyllis Fagell, school counselor and author of Middle School Matters and Middle School Superpowers, joins Dr. Sheryl to make the case that none of this is a warning sign, it's the work of growing up. They talk through why middle schoolers pull away from their parents (and why it's not rejection), the real numbers on how often friendships shift during these years, and the "superpowers," belonging, security, self-regulation, that actually predict resilience. Also: why popular kids aren't as happy as you'd think, and what to do when you catch yourself trying to fix a problem your kid needs to work through on their own. 🎥 More episodes of The In-Between Years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGOGD7OjR4o&list=PL5PQdZxg7tKskA374bwJ_fW29TP_E9k6S Looking for more support in the in-between years of parenting? Good Inside Teen gives you practical tools, scripts, and expert guidance for the moments that can feel most overwhelming with tweens and teens. Thank you to our partners for making this episode possible: - Girl Scouts: If you have a daughter in kindergarten through 12th grade, visit girlscouts.org to learn more Good Inside’s Dr. Becky and Dr. Sheryl have a new show on YouTube - Teens & Screens, a bi-weekly video series helping parents navigate today's biggest technology questions. Watch the first episode on youtube.com/@goodinside.