The Girlfriend's Guide to an Empty Nest

Today Anne is getting vulnerable about the confusing season of life she is currently in. We pray this conversation helps you feel not alone in being unsure what’s next and that you know there is no shame in wrestling with this! We chat today: About Becky’s book on purpose and her wisdom on how to help people find their purpose The tension of having hope and despair side by side Figuring out if God...

We chat on this podcast about guiding our kids through transition seasons but it’s not all about your kids. And we sometimes lose sight of that, with all the daily responsibilities that come with parenting. But once your kids are launched, there are some big questions to answer like: who am I outside of being their mom? We talk today: How to shift your calling Mourning the loss of being a mom as p...

As mothers of teens and adult children, we are realizing we have less and less control over our kids' lives. And maybe instead of striving to be a perfect parent, a change in goal would be wise. We chat today about: How God is the only perfect parent Advice for stressful seasons with your high schoolers A powerful quote Anne’s mom used to say about parenting  Cranky moms and how to deal! The p...

Some things don’t actually matter in the long run. What happens to our kids in these formidable years ARE important … but not everything is going to mark their lives forever. Today we are talking about how to balance helping your kids thrive but not stressing them out with extreme pressure to succeed in senior year in all the categories. We dive into today: How culture normalizes moms stressing ou...

Do your kids know how to write a cheque? Boil water for pasta? Balance a budget? Sometimes we get so focused on teaching our kids these heart concepts, like God LOVES YOU UNCONDITIONALLY! Yet, we forget to teach them how to do their laundry or fix a tire.  Today we are chatting about:  The value of teaching your children to write thank you notes Skills we were brought up knowing that kids these da...

Suddenly with the kids gone you have more downtime. Today we are chatting about how to fill your time, in ways that fill you up personally, but also eases the bittersweetness of having an empty home.  We chat about: A funny way that Anne has become her mother (ahem, a hobby Anne found out she loved that her own mother loved) Ideas of creative hobbies to try to make your free time enjoyable and mea...

Confession: It’s HARD when the kids are GONE. Like really gone. You know, when they are fully moved out and won’t be bouncing back for summer break from college anymore since they now have a place of their own. Today we are chatting about how our expectations don’t always match lived out experiences for Empty Nesting. And how the grief of your kids leaving can appear in surprising ways and how eac...

Should you hold off on turning their room into a crafting room? Is it okay to move from their childhood home? Track their location yes or no? So many questions, so many opinions. Today we are discussing an article we found, sharing if we agree or disagree about things the article suggests we reframe from doing when your child goes off to college.  Today we chat about: 7 things we have heard you sh...

Are you in the thick of touring colleges with your senior kid? Is it causing mega stress or excitement for you and them? It’s a big choice, looking forward towards the future and figuring out where they want to land for the next 4+ years. Or deciding if they even want to go to college. Tune in today to hear: The wisdom of dividing and conquering the activities between mom and dad for that senior y...

It’s exciting to see your kids so near walking across that stage to get their well-earned high school diploma … but it’s also very hard on a mother’s heart. All these milestones and “lasts” can be bittersweet. Today we are chatting about how to enjoy the process and make the most of senior year.  We chat today about: Why moms are allowed to feel differently and act differently than dads in senior...

It can be tricky to learn new dynamics when your kid leaves then returns. Do you still give them a curfew when they come home for a long weekend? Should you ask them to do chores? What are you actually supposed to do and not do when they come back to visit after moving out? Answer: it’s a bizarre adjustment, for sure! We chat about today: Give yourself grace, it’s a bit of a whiplash to learn how...

Actively raising children is a BIG job. And once they are no longer living under your roof, it takes some intentional thought to redefine your new role in their life and learn to restructure your days and life now that your kids are out of the house. But finding meaning and purpose beyond being a caregiver is very much so possible and we pray this episode inspires you to see all the amazing possib...

We have heard from listeners that sometimes rather than grief, it’s a worry that mother’s deal deeply with when the empty nesting season looms. How will my kids do once they leave? Will they be okay growing into adulthood? If that resonates with the narrative in your own head, please take a listen to this episode. We pray it brings you encouragement and a little laughter, too! What goes through a...

Yup, we are going there today. Girlfriends, we are digging into the ins and outs of menopause. If you don’t have someone in your life to chat about the “ugly” stuff, we would gladly be that friend for you. We hope this episode leaves you feeling a little more prepared about women’s health! In today’s episode: How the timing of menopause and your kids leaving home can often happen at the same time,...

Mommy Wars … it’s a real thing. And it doesn’t stop once your kids fly the coop. People will continue to give you opinions on how you think you should parent your adult children too. On this episode we dig into: How to handle the judgy people in our lives who give their unsolicited thought about how we parent What grocery store item can cause the downward spiral of self criticism as a woman and as...

Welcome to our very first episode! We pray your time with us (Hi! It’s Anne & Becky!) is filled with laughter, encouragement and so much inspiration.  When we discovered people just weren’t talking about the grief and challenges of having your kids leave your home, we decided to become that much needed resource ourselves.  In this premiere episode we share about: Why it’s healthy and important...

Today we are comparing our current journeys with empty nesting. One of us sees the empty nest through the windshield, the other one can see it in the rearview mirror. Thanks for hanging out with us today, it’s an honor to share with you our different experiences, and we pray you leave encouraged about this topic that is close to both our hearts.  You’ll hear us share today: Our thoughts on being f...

Join us for a conversation about grief. We won’t be shaming you ONE bit for feeling all the feels. Nope, over here, we believe that grief comes from the ending of something beautiful which is worth celebrating!   Today we discuss: The challenges and frustrations of grieving differently than those around you What you should NEVER tell someone in the midst of grieving The illogical side of grief The...

Any dog mamas out there? As mothers, we need to channel that mom energy to something. We were made to nurture! When there is no one at home to parent anymore, sometimes a pet is just what you need. In this episode we are chatting about: How we are made for relationships and how dogs (or any pet) fits into that need Ways to build into relationships once your kids are out of the house The unexpected...

All the “lasts” can add up in that final year of having a child living under your roof. Counting down a whole season of “lasts” can be HARD. Today we are sharing how we can best set ourselves up to enjoy this last year. You’ll hear in this episode: What Senioritis is (and how it shows up in our kid’s attitudes and ours)  The power of just letting yourself be sad about all the “lasts” A preview of...

We are talking about our marriages with some REAL TALK today. Sometimes we wish our husbands didn’t live with us AND we love ‘em so much. God has created us to feel more than one thing at once, what a gift! Today we are chatting about:  How husbands and wives handle kids leaving differently and how to cope with this difference Ways to reconnect with your spouse Things to chat about when the kids a...

Hey! We are Anne & Becky! Here we discuss the challenges and joys of the empty nest phase, sharing personal experiences and advice. You aren't alone if emptying nesting feels HARD! We cover topics such as the grieving process, reconnecting with spouses, rediscovering purpose, and the transition from parent to friend. We share the importance of faith and humor in navigating this season of l...