Vault: She's Worried Her Baby Will Inherit Their Traits

Summary

---

Episode Overview

Podcast: The Bert Show
Episode: Vault: She's Worried Her Baby Will Inherit Their Traits
Date: July 2, 2026

In this heartfelt and humorous episode, the Bert Show team explores a parental anxiety many can relate to: Will your child inherit your quirks, habits, or even your personal “curses”? Tracy, a show producer, calls in with her concerns about her baby girl, Ella, potentially inheriting both her own OCD-like tendencies and her husband’s ADD. The discussion unravels into a lively, honest, and funny exchange among hosts and listeners about the traits we pass on, the cycles we hope to break, and the realities of parenting when our own quirks are on full display.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introducing Tracy's Worry: The "Tiny Monster" Scenario

• [01:30] Jeff introduces Tracy and her fear: Ella might inherit the worst of both parents — dad’s ADD and mom’s OCD — and “become a little tiny monster.”
• Tracy details her husband's genuine ADD diagnosis and her own obsessive need for organization and perfection.
  • Tracy [02:11]: “My husband has ADD...I, on the other hand, have been known to have a few OCD type tendencies.”

Notable Quotes:

• Jeff [01:48]: “If both of these personality traits...merge into one in Ella, Ella could actually become a little tiny monster.”
• Tracy [03:02]: “If she gets his ADD and my OCD, oh my gosh. She’s going to be obsessed with being perfect, but not able to focus long enough to make it happen, and she’s going to go crazy.”

---

Nature vs. Nurture and Parental Fears

• [03:22] Jessica poses the dilemma: Is it better for a child to mimic or rebel against parents’ behaviors?
  • Jessica: “Would you rather her be OCD and perfectionist, or would you rather her be a slob in reaction to you and Scott?”
• Group reflects on how some children mimic while others intentionally go the opposite way.

Notable Quotes:

• Jeff [03:47]: “What if she doesn’t have ADD? What if she’s super focused, but...on being messy?”

---

Inherited Habits: The Stories Pile Up

• [06:06] Marla calls in to share her own inherited challenges:

  • Her mother was both a pack rat and hot-tempered. Marla’s noticing the same in herself and her toddler.
  • Marla [06:35]: “I try so hard to throw everything away, but...I was so used to her keeping everything from notes to unnecessary stuff.”

• Jeff [07:15]: Shares his own family’s inability to throw things away, illustrating how these habits can be deeply ingrained.

Notable Quotes:

• Brittany [07:27]: “It’s all learned behavior. You’re going to mimic exactly what your parents do.”
• Tracy [07:31]: “No, we’re not. We’re changing it.”

---

When OCD Runs in the Family...Literally

• [07:38] Wendy joins the conversation revealing her extreme OCD and observing the same compulsions in her four-year-old son.

  • Wendy [08:09]: “No, I mean, it’s not normal. He’s definitely not normal. It’s like I have to do everything my own personal way.”

• The hosts and callers debate what’s typical independent kid behavior versus identifying true OCD.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen [08:36]: “It’s kind of crippling for kids...they get so used to routine and patterns of behavior...that change can be freaky.”

---

OCD vs. Perfectionism and Creative ADD

• [09:03] Differentiation between having OCD as a diagnosis and being a perfectionist.
  • Tracy clarifies she’s a perfectionist more than clinically OCD.
• The group discusses ADD as sometimes being mistaken for just a creative, non-linear mind.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen [09:21]: “Sometimes I think that creative people are deemed ADD because their thought process is different. They’re not linear thinkers, you know?”

---

From Parenting Missteps to Breaking Cycles

• [11:09] Lindsay calls in with a humorous OCD anecdote about her need to trim raw chicken “to within an inch of its life.”

  • Her kids notice her quirks and gently tease her, telling her to “have a moment” and calm down.

• [11:23] Andrea shares a cautionary tale: her perfectionism led her to do everything for her eldest son, and now he’s “the laziest child that ever walked the earth.”

  • Andrea [12:27]: “He can’t do anything. He would lay in bed and wait for someone to bring him socks.”

• Tracy assures Ella is not headed that direction—she’s already got chores and organization skills.

Notable Quotes:

• Jeff [12:32]: “Ella Grace will not be a lazy child.”
• Tracy [12:49]: “And she can use Microsoft Excel.”

---

Memorable & Funny Moments

• [02:58] Brittany, teasing Tracy: “One of your favorite stores is the Container Store.”
• [03:47] Jeff jokes about putting a messy child up for adoption: “You would have to give her away...You need a sloppy room.”
• [10:06] Classic show moment: Lindsay’s OCD compulsion—whenever she had a bad thought, she’d need to touch her face.

---

Key Segment Timestamps

• 01:30 – Tracy’s dilemma is introduced (OCD + ADD parental anxieties)
• 03:22 – Discussion on mimicking vs. rebelling against parents’ habits
• 06:06 – Marla’s call about inheriting temper and pack rat tendencies
• 07:38 – Wendy’s story of extreme OCD and noticing it in her son
• 09:03 – Explaining OCD vs. perfectionism and creative ADD
• 11:09 – Lindsay’s obsessive chicken trimming story
• 11:23 – Andrea cautions against parenting “do-everything” mistakes

---

Takeaways & Tone

The episode is fast-paced, self-deprecating, and honest about the sometimes hilarious, sometimes embarrassing realities of parenting and family life. The hosts and callers create a supportive, humorous atmosphere that gives permission to laugh at your own quirks while making a case for self-reflection and trying (however imperfectly) to break the cycles you don’t want your kids to repeat.

---

Final Thoughts

If you worry your child might inherit your quirks, this episode is relatable, reassuring, and guaranteed to make you laugh. The Bert Show’s blend of confessional stories, lively banter, and community calls make for a memorable listen—perfect for anyone navigating the crazy world of parenting with a sense of humor.

---

“If she gets his ADD and my OCD, oh my gosh. She’s going to be obsessed with being perfect, but not be able to focus long enough to make it happen, and she’s going to go crazy.”
—Tracy [03:02]

---

Transcript

[Hers Weight Loss Advertiser]

Okay, can we talk about how confusing weight loss has become? Like, one minute it's carbs are bad, and then the next it's no, actually, carbs are fine, but only if you walk 10,000 steps and drink a green juice. And honestly, it's just a lot. And then even if you do lose the weight, keeping it off is a whole different story. If you're struggling and want something that fits your real life, hers can help. It's designed to support you in reaching your goals in a way that actually fits your life. That's why weight loss by hers is getting so much attention right now. Hers connects you with licensed medical providers who create doctor developed treatment plans tailored to you. They offer access to an affordable range of FDA approved GLP1 medications, including the Wegovy pill and the Wegovy pen. It helps regulate your appetite so you eat less and keep the weight off. If you're ready to reach your goals and want to try something new, visit for hers.combert to get personalized, affordable care that gets you that's F O R h e r s.comb for hers.com Bert Weightliftsbyhurst is not available in all 50 states, but go via registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A S to get started and learn more, including important safety information with Gobi clinical study information and restrictions.

[SpinQuest Advertiser 1]

Visit borhears.com forget whatever plans you have this weekend because you're staying at home and playing on spinquest and there's never been a better time to sign up than right now. New users get $30 coin packs for just $10. All the table games you love, with hundreds of slot games and real cash Prizes. That's at spinquest.com S P I N

[SpinQuest Advertiser 2]

Q U-E-S-T.com Spinquest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details.

[Host (Jeff)]

The Birch show we gotta talk to Tracy for a couple minutes about an issue that she has with her baby girl Ella, who I saw the twit pic you sent yesterday.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

I said, katie, look.

[Caller Andrea]

She goes, aw.

[Host (Jeff)]

And Tracy brings up a very good point because both Tracy and her husband are very intense, but in kind of two opposite ways. And if these two, if both of these personality traits manifest themselves in little merge into one in Ella, Ella could actually become a little tiny monster.

[Caller Tracy]

Yeah, we don't have this problem yet. And I'm really nervous about it because my husband has add, so he can't really focus on anything. He's very scattered. He takes medication for it, which helps a Lot, but without the medication, he's just all over the place. I, on the other hand, have been known to have a few OCD type tendencies.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

A few. I'm sorry, excuse me.

[Host (Jeff)]

Tracy is the producer of this show because she is beyond organized, right? And I've actually. She has, like, one of her OCD things is, like, she has to write stuff down, even if it doesn't involve her or have anything to do. Like, she puts it on a list in a book somewhere. I've had to yell at her before.

[Caller Tracy]

Jeff is like, I'm gonna go to the kitchen to the vending machine, and I'm writing down kitchen vending machine on a notepad.

[Caller Brittany]

But one of your favorite stores is the Container Store, so.

[Host (Jeff)]

Yes, that's true.

[Caller Tracy]

And I'm so uber organized. But I also get very obsessed with everything being perfect. So my fear is, is if she gets his ADD and my ocd, oh, my gosh. She's gonna be obsessed with being perfect, but not be able to focus long enough to make it happen, and she's gonna go crazy.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

Let me ask a question now, which would you. Because we talked about off here for a second, and I said that with children, it's either you mimic your parents or sometimes you go opposite of your parents. Like, you decide that you're going to rebel against that type of behavior. So which would you rather have? I wanted to be OCD and perfectionist, or would you rather her be a slob in reaction to you and Scott?

[Host (Jeff)]

Or the exact opposite? What if she doesn't have add? What if she's super focused, but she decides to be super focused on being messy? You would have to give her away. You would have to put any child on. You need a sloppy room.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

She spills things. She doesn't care. She argues with you. I mean, you know about it.

[Caller Jen]

I think mommy will wait on her hand and foot and clean up after

[Host (Jeff)]

her because you have OCD about cleanliness

[Caller Tracy]

and nothing's gonna be clean enough for me. I understand that. I don't know what I'd rather her have because it's. I mean, it's frustrating for both of us. While I love everything to be perfect and orderly, it drives me crazy that I'm like that. I'm just not willing to stop being like that because then that would mean nothing is orderly.

[Host (Jeff)]

So the question this made me think about is there. There has to be parents. And our Phone number is 404-741-Q100. Who you are aware of something that you do. Like everybody says, oh, my God, I sound just like my mother. You know, at some point, or father or whatever, you have got to have something in your life, something that you do. Whether it's an OCD tendency that your laundry has to be folded in the exact certain way, or an add thing where you start 100 projects and you can't finish them, or anything in between. That something that you do that you are so hard trying to prevent from being passed down to your child or

[Co-host (Jessica)]

even a short temper or even sarcasm or cursing. Cursing I think is a common thing with parents. But you know, I would think that, yeah, any behavior that you are self conscious about that you don't want your child to inherit, what are you keeping from them or trying to at least.

[Host (Jeff)]

Or can you Like I am a bad, I would say husband to Jessica, but I think I'm just a bad roommate because I have a tendency to think that just because an article of clothing is folded somewhat neat, then that is put away enough. Even if it's on the arm of a couch or the edge of a

[Caller Jen]

bed, that drives me crazy.

[Host (Jeff)]

So, like I'll come home and I'll take like, you know, I'll take the shirt off and I'll just fold it in half, but I'll put it on the edge of the bed. In my mind, it's away, it's away, it's folded in half and it's on the edge of the bed. Right, Right. So knowing how crazy that drives Jessica. If we had children in our house, I would try not to do that. I would try to avoid that. Hey, Julia. Welcome to the bird show.

[Caller Marla]

Hi. Hey.

[Host (Jeff)]

What's going on?

[Caller Marla]

I was listening and I was just thinking, wow, that's a topic. That's me. Because my mom has an issue with a short temper and she was also a pack rat. And I have a two year old and it seems like nothing can be thrown away. I don't care if it's the toy that's been broken, he can't throw it away. And the temper, he's already caught the short temper too. These little things make him mad.

[Host (Jeff)]

And are you a pack rat?

[Caller Marla]

I am. I try so hard to throw everything away, but it gets to the point where it's so much stuff where I don't even look through it, I just have to throw it away. But it's so hard. Cause I was so used to her keeping everything from notes to unnecessary stuff

[Host (Jeff)]

that right there is a curse. And you know what? That's what I would. Because my parents do the same thing. I told you all about the tv, right? And that ended up. A cousin of mine ended up taking it. But I got my parents a new tv. And my dad, I said, just go put the TV in the car and take it to a church or Goodwill and donate the old one. And he goes, nah, just put it in the basement. So I go down and put it in the basement next to the boat engine. They don't live on a lake.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

They may need it someday.

[Caller Jen]

Someday.

[Host (Jeff)]

Behind the dresser, on the shelf beneath my dad's beer can collection pack rats. So am I. And it drives me nuts. And I'm trying so hard to break that habit. I would not want to give that curse to a child.

[Caller Brittany]

Well, it's all learned behavior. You're going to mimic exactly what your parents do.

[Caller Tracy]

No, we're not.

[Host (Jeff)]

We're changing it. Wendy. Hey, Brittany.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

Welcome to the show Breaking the Cycle.

[Host (Jeff)]

What's going on?

[Caller Wendy]

I am super, super OCD about everything. And my 4 year old already acts just like me. If I put his shoes on and he didn't get to do it, he has to take them off and then put them back on because I did it. And like, I'll even. I'll turn off a light and he'll scream at me and go and turn it back on and then turn it back off and then turn it back on because I did it.

[Caller Tracy]

Is that an ocd, OCD thing or is that more of a, you know, young kid? I want to do everything myself.

[Caller Brittany]

Being independent.

[Caller Wendy]

Yeah. No, I mean, it's. It's not normal. He's definitely not normal. It's like I have to do everything my own personal way. Like it has to be done exactly the way it has to be done. And he is just like that. I mean, it's not like a normal four year old behavior. He's been doing it since he was

[Caller Marla]

like two years old.

[Caller Wendy]

It's. I mean, he has to do it just the way it has to be done. It has to be done several times before he's happy with it.

[Caller Jen]

It's kind of crippling for kids once they have to change schools and stuff because they get so used to routine and repetition and patterns of behavior that, you know, when they go from like maybe pre K to a different school for kindergartner or, you know, elementary to middle or whatever, it's gonna be freaky.

[Host (Jeff)]

And I do think there's two different. I mean, OCD is a loosely used term, but isn't like, OCD is a medical term where, like, some people have like the chemical in their brain.

[Caller Jen]

Sounds like she and her son are that way.

[Host (Jeff)]

Right.

[Caller Jen]

It's like Tracy's a perfectionist.

[Caller Tracy]

Yeah, I don't think. I mean, I don't think I actually have ocd, like the condition. I just think I like things to be perfect. But it was just like that one guy.

[Caller Jen]

So her husband really has add? Or he's just creative.

[Caller Tracy]

He's creative, but he definitely has add.

[Host (Jeff)]

And she can diagnose that because she has ocd.

[Caller Jen]

Because sometimes I think that creative people are deemed ADD because their thought process is different. They're not linear thinkers, you know?

[Caller Tracy]

Yeah. But I can tell a definite difference when he doesn't have as much medication. Like if he's out of a prescription, I can definitely tell. Like he just can't focus on anything. He's all over the place. Like his legs are like all. You know, he's tapping his leg the whole time. Nothing gets done.

[Host (Jeff)]

You come home and there's a half built dresser, there's a half painted room, there's a half clean kitchen, there's a half eaten sandwich.

[Caller Tracy]

Right. But once he has those. That medication, he's pretty. I mean, it works.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

And with ocd, isn't it? You know, people who really have OCD are the ones that always have to count their steps, or they always have to. Everything has to be in.

[Host (Jeff)]

That's how Lindsay was, like, from our show. She was pretty intense about stuff like that.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

She had a bad thought. Yeah, With Lindsay, there was. It wasn't. When she had a bad thought, she'd

[Host (Jeff)]

have to touch her face.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

Touch her face. Yeah.

[Host (Jeff)]

Hey, is it Marla?

[Caller Marla]

Marala, It's Marla.

[Host (Jeff)]

Marla. Hey, how are you?

[Caller Wendy]

Hi.

[Caller Marla]

I'm good. I'm sorry, y', all, I have a very bad cold.

[Host (Jeff)]

Oh, that's no worries.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

Everybody talk to Jen. You all can understand each other.

[Host (Jeff)]

Yeah, everybody knows each other. I love your show.

[Caller Lindsay]

You guys make me laugh every morning.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

Thank you.

[SpinQuest Advertiser 2]

Thank you.

[Caller Marla]

Let's see. I have a couple of ocd, but

[Caller Lindsay]

my kids actually get it from both sides. The pack rat thing. Number one, My mom has taxes in our attic. Probably from the late 80s.

[Caller Andrea]

Yeah, it's really sad.

[Caller Lindsay]

And every closet in our house is full. Yeah, it's a really bad situation. But the one that I just thought of, that I didn't tell the girl on the phone was especially like, when I'm cooking, if it's raw chicken, I have to trim that piece of chicken to within an inch of its life. I mean, every little tiny scrap of white that I can see on that piece of chicken is gone. It's really intense. But my kids are funny. They're like, mama, you're having a moment. You know, you need to calm down.

[Co-host (Jessica)]

See, that's what I vision. I vision Ella being in the future. Like, mom. It's okay, Mom. It's okay, Mom. Doesn't have to be perfect. Mom.

[Host (Jeff)]

Hey, is it Andrea or the more formal Andrea?

[Caller Andrea]

Andrea.

[Host (Jeff)]

Hey, Andrea. How are you?

[Caller Andrea]

Great.

[Host (Jeff)]

How are you guys?

[Caller Tracy]

Good.

[Host (Jeff)]

A word of warning for Tracy.

[Caller Andrea]

Yes. Well, first I just want to say,

[Caller Marla]

I know everybody says this, but I'm

[Caller Andrea]

so freaked out that I get to talk to you.

[Caller Wendy]

I listen to y' all every day. Oh, cool. Thank you.

[Caller Andrea]

And if anybody I know hears this, I'll just die. But anyway, they'll know it's me. But my first thing is I'm kind of ocd. But mine is like a time. Everything has to be on a certain time schedule. And I kind of flip my lid if my kids don't adhere to it. And I've got three boys. But what I want to tell her is with my first son, the mistake I made was I'm a little bit of a perfectionist. Like, everything has to be perfect. And so I kind of did everything for him. Like, everything. I mean, dressed him, got him, you know, just did everything for him. He didn't. If I could wrap him up in, like, a bubble, I would have. But now he's 11 and he's like the laziest child that ever walked the earth. He can't do anything. He would lay in bed and, like, wait for someone to bring him socks.

[Host (Jeff)]

Ella Grace will not be a lazy child.

[Caller Tracy]

Oh, no, she will not. And she's not already.

[Host (Jeff)]

Ella Grace is already doing. Ella is already doing chores at the house, and she's doing them properly. The dishes are stacked biggest to smallest, and she knows how to alphabetize soup. Good job, Tracy.

[Caller Tracy]

And she can use Microsoft Excel.

[Host (Jeff)]

The bird show.

[SpinQuest Advertiser 1]

Hanging out at the pool is great. Relaxing and playing Vegas style games on my phone at the same time. Drink in one hand and a blackjack in the other. It's all at spinquest. Over a thousand games, including your favorite slots and table games. Be cool with this summer special. New players get $30 coin packs for

[SpinQuest Advertiser 2]

[e-mail] SpinQuest is a free to play social casino. Visit SpinQuest.com for more details.

[McDonald's Advertiser]

All new drinks are now at McDonald's with refreshers like the Strawberry Watermelon refresher and the Mango Pineapple Refresher with Popping Boba to crafted sodas like the Sprite Berry Blast with berry flavors and cold foam. Who knew ice cold drinks could be so fire six? All new drinks are here now at McDonald's.

[SpinQuest Advertiser 2]

Refreshers contain caffeine.

[Chase Sapphire Advertiser]

This year's girls trip to Telluride was the best. We one upped ourselves with my Sapphire Preferred card and with 5 times points on Chase Travel, plus 3 times points on vacation homes with top brands, we got this incredible cabin.

[Caller Jen]

It was a mansion.

[Chase Sapphire Advertiser]

And with three times times the points on dining, we ordered a wagyu steak dinner.

[Caller Jen]

And that pistachio gelato was too good.

[Chase Sapphire Advertiser]

So where should we go next year?

[Caller Jen]

I've got ideas.

[Chase Sapphire Advertiser]

Chase Sapphire preferred the card that's preferred for a reason. Cards issued by JP Morgan, Chase bank and a member FDIC subject to credit approval terms apply.