The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined: Parenting Teens and Finding Yourself Again—with Small Jar Coach

Why does something that’s supposed to be fun feel so hard? You plan the vacation hoping for rest, reconnection, maybe even a few magical moments. But instead, you find yourself wondering if your teen even wants to be there. If you’ve ever come home from a family trip more drained than when you left—this episode is for you. In this conversation, I’m unpacking the real reasons vacation with teens an...

 Have you ever found yourself saying, “I’m just a mom” ? Maybe you wouldn’t say this out loud. The "just" a mom. Because you’re proud of being a mom. You love your kids more than anything. And yet… you can feel this ache and uncertainty when your kids don’t need you the same way anymore. You feel a sense of emptiness. Wondering who you are now. In today’s episode, I’m exploring the...

Are you worried that your kid not doing their choices means they're never going to be responsible? I saw a social media post referencing a Harvard study that claims that kids who do chores grow up to be more successful—and the minute I read it I thought, "But what happens if I can't get my kid to do chores?! The study seems to affirm our deepest sense of responsibility to help our kids b...

Absolutely—here’s a refined version in your voice: warm, grounded, emotionally honest, and empowering, with the right mix of personal connection and clear value: Have you ever thought, “My kid doesn’t even like me”—and then felt a mix of heartbreak and shame, because you can’t believe this is where you’ve ended up after everything you’ve poured into them? If so, you’re not alone. I’ve been there t...

Are you a mom navigating the wild terrain of parenting teens — where one minute they need you and the next they’re pushing you away? Then this episode will show you that you're not alone. I call this stretch of motherhood the Empty Nest Straddle™ — that long, uncertain season when you're still deeply involved in your kids' lives…while also learning to let go. It’s messy. Emotional. And comple...

Have you ever looked at something your teen is doing and thought, “What if this is my fault?” Maybe that you pushed too hard… or not hard enough. Maybe you missed a sign or set the wrong boundaries. If you've ever wondered whether you somehow messed up your kid, you're not alone. In this episode, I open up about the fear so many moms of teens and college-age kids carry: that our choices, our react...

Have you ever felt like your mind is constantly spinning with fear about your teen’s safety, choices, or future—and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t turn it off ? It's not just you. In fact, what's really going on is that you’re a mom trying to love and protect your child in a chapter that feels wildly out of your control. In this episode, I’m sharing the real truth about the anxiet...

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I don’t even like my kid right now” —and then felt instantly ashamed? If you’re parenting teens or navigating the empty nest, this thought might sound shocking… but it’s far more common than you think. In this honest and validating new series, I'm exploring the thoughts we moms are most ashamed to admit out loud—and I'll explain why they don’t make you...

Ever tell yourself, “I’ve got to stop nagging” —and then do it anyway? Or find yourself falling into the same bad habit you wish you could just stop? Whether it’s reminding your teen (again), pouring a glass of wine you swore you’d skip, or losing it after vowing to stay calm… you’re not alone. And there’s a reason these habits feel so hard to break. In this episode, I share why these patterns—nag...

Are you a mom of teens or young adults who finds herself constantly second-guessing decisions, holding back your opinions, or putting your own desires on pause to keep others happy? You might be caught in the Approval Trap . And if you've spent years putting others first, it’s no wonder confidence feels hard to access right now. In this episode of the Almost Empty Nest Podcast , I unpack Mindset T...

Ever find yourself staring at your teen’s behavior thinking, this can’t be happening ? Whether it’s a missed curfew, a cold shoulder, or the ache of disconnection, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of resisting what is — and it’s costing us more than we realize. In this episode, I’m diving deep into the mindset trap of resisting reality — what it looks like in parenting teens and almost-empty-nes...

If you pictured summer with your teen feeling relaxing, connected, maybe even joyful—but instead, you’re staring at a messy house, unpredictable schedules, and feeling more frustration than peace—you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m sharing what summer has looked like in my house so far—and how easy it is to get caught in disappointment when reality doesn’t match your hopes. But we’re not just t...

There was a moment—standing in my kitchen, alone on a Saturday while my kids were out living their lives—when I asked myself, “Is this it? Who am I now?” In this episode, I’m talking about the identity crisis so many of us face as moms of teens, college students, and young adults. Whether you're in the thick of middle school meltdowns or staring at an empty bedroom, the shift in how you're needed...

There’s a moment when it hits you: this is the last time. The last prom. The last school lunch. The last graduation day. And it’s not just about your teen moving on — it’s about everything this moment brings up for you. In this episode, I’m reflecting on my own journey as a mom of teens standing at the edge of the empty nest, and what this season has taught me about identity, connection, and the d...

If you’re a mom of teens and you’ve ever found yourself feeling anxious, overthinking, or just wondering why doesn’t anyone notice everything I do? —this episode is for you. In this next part of the Mindset Traps of the Empty Nest series, I’m talking about validation seeking—how it shows up, why it’s so normal, and what it costs us when we don’t see it clearly. This isn’t about trying to let go of...

Mother’s Day hasn’t always felt the way I thought it would — especially as a mom of teenagers. I spent years waiting to be celebrated, managing my mindset around disappointment, and wondering if anyone really saw everything I was carrying. In this episode, I’m sharing a raw and honest reflection on why this day can feel so emotionally charged, and what I’ve learned about letting go — not just of e...

If you’re a mom of a teen and you ever find yourself thinking, “I should be more patient... I should give them more space… I should have done something differently,” this episode is for you. In this week’s episode of the Mindset Traps of the Empty Nest series, I’m diving into the Should Trap . As moms, especially in this stressful season leading up to the empty nest, we carry around an invisi...

In today’s episode, I’m getting real about one of the hardest parts of raising teens— setting boundaries . Not boundaries to control your teen or fix their behavior—but boundaries that reconnect you to your own peace, clarity, and confidence. We’ll talk about why boundaries feel so hard (hint: it’s not because you’re doing it wrong), what’s actually underneath the guilt and second-guessing, and ho...

We’re continuing the Empty Nest Mindset Trap series this week with one of the most common and exhausting patterns I see in anxious moms: worst-case scenario thinking . Maybe your teen’s been struggling in school for a while… or they’ve been more distant lately. The concerns are real—but your brain takes that evidence and spins it into something so much bigger, imagining futures that feel terrifyin...

This episode is for every anxious, almost empty nest mom whose heart is tangled up in her teen’s future. Whether you're in the thick of college admissions or simply watching your child make choices that feel high-stakes, I promise—you’re not alone. I share my own raw experience of watching my son navigate college decisions and the gut-punch of feeling powerless. But this isn’t just a conversation...

MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #6 - Personalization Ever feel like your teen’s bad mood is somehow your fault? In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast , I’m diving deep into one of the most painful and sneaky mindset traps we moms fall into—personalization. It’s that gut-wrenching habit of making our kids’ struggles, choices, and emotions mean something about us. I’ve lived it, I’...

Have you ever felt like you're living in two worlds at once—still deep in the trenches of motherhood while also staring down an almost-empty nest? I know I have. In this episode, I dive into what I call the Empty Nest Straddle —that long, messy, emotional transition where you're constantly shifting between holding on and letting go. It’s the push and pull of still being needed while feeling your c...

MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #5 - Perfectionism In this episode, I’m digging into one of the most exhausting and invisible traps so many of us fall into—perfectionism. You might think you're just trying to do your best, but what if that constant pressure to get it all right is actually making motherhood—and life—so much harder than it has to be? I’ll share how perfectionism shows up in w...

Some moms dread the empty nest...and some of us....can't wait. Have you ever found yourself counting down the days until your child leaves home (either for the first time or after a visit)—but then feeling guilty about it? In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast , I dive into the emotional rollercoaster of looking forward to the empty nest while still holding space for the deep love we ha...

MINDSET TRAPS OF THE EMPTY NEST - Trap #4 - Illusion of Control Have you ever found yourself checking your kid, reminding them (again) about their responsibilities, or feeling that tight grip of anxiety when they don’t do what you ask or hope they'll do? If so, you’re not alone. In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast , I dive into one of the biggest mindset traps we face as moms of...