Claim OwnershipThe Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined: Parenting Teens and Finding Yourself Again—with Small Jar Coach
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Are you stuck between wanting to guide your teen or college kid and knowing it’s time to start letting go?
Welcome to The Almost Empty Nest Podcast, where moms of teens and college kids reframe what ‘letting go’ really means and stop second-guessing themselves to feel more connected, confident, and at peace in this chapter of motherhood.
Each week, you’ll learn how to:
• Break free from mindset traps like catastrophizing, mom guilt, and the illusion of control
• Build a stronger relationship with your teen—even when they pull away or test boundaries
• Strengthen your self-trust as you set boundaries, let go of anxiety, and explore your own purpose beyond parenting
Hosted by master life coach—and mom of two college kids—Jennifer Collins, this show offers grounded, relatable support and mindset shifts to help you stop overthinking and start showing up as the mom and woman you truly want to be.
🎧 Start with listener favorite Episode 85: The Empty Nest Straddle — The Emotional Tug of Parenting Teens and Facing the Empty Nest.
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Have you ever looked at your teen or adult child and wondered, Are they going to be okay? When our kids struggle, it’s easy to believe that their choices today will define their entire future.
In this episode, I’m going to help you understand why that fear shows up, how our expectations about our kids’ potential create stress and tension, and how to support your big kid without feeling like you have to control their path.
If you want to feel more calm, confident, and connected as your kids figure out their lives, don't miss this episode.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
I know how painful it can feel when your relationship with your big kid changes and you find yourself thinking, “What my kid does is hurtful.” In this episode, I open up about a truth many moms experience but rarely say out loud...the heartbreak that can come up while parenting teens and young adults.
If you’ve ever felt rejected, blamed, or unappreciated by your child, you’re not alone. I share how easy it is for us moms to start questioning ourselves, overanalyze every parenting decision, and slip into patterns of overthinking or self-blame. This conversation is about more than difficult moments with our kids...it’s about what letting go really means in this phase of motherhood.
If you’re navigating the emotional rollercoaster of raising teens or stepping toward the empty nest, this episode will help you reconnect with the love that’s still there even when the relationship feels strained.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
If you’re a mom who has spent years parenting teens and putting everyone else first, you might expect that once your kids grow up and you find yourself in the empty nest, life will finally open up for you. But many moms discover that the habit of putting themselves last doesn’t disappear—it simply follows us into the next stage of motherhood.
In this episode, I share a realization I’ve been having about how easy it is to keep postponing joy, even when our kids no longer need us in the same way. I talk about the fears that make letting go of responsibility feel uncomfortable. If you’re navigating a new chapter of motherhood, it might be time to start creating space for yourself again. Join me to figure out what standing in your way.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I only have a few months left before my kid leaves home,” you’re not alone. I remember thinking this constantly during my boys’ senior years of high school. As moms raising teens and navigating the empty nest transition, it’s easy to feel pressure to fix everything, teach everything, and make every moment count before our kids leave.
In this episode, I explore how a scarcity mindset shows up in parenting teens...whether it’s trying to repair the relationship before they go, worrying they’re not ready for the world, or feeling responsible for making their final months at home perfect. I share my own story, including a moment during my son’s senior year when I realized how much pressure I was putting on myself. When we shift from scarcity to an abundant mindset, letting go becomes less about loss and more about trust.
If you're looking at the calendar and feeling pressure to make the most of the months before your big kid leaves home, this episode will help you breathe a little easier as you navigate the powerful, bittersweet process of letting go.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Have you ever woken up at 2am with your mind racing…convinced that the distance between you and your child means the relationship is slipping away… or that their struggle is going to define their future… or that the tension in your house is never going to get better… or that this heavy, almost empty nest feeling means the best part of your life is behind you?
That spiral where your brain takes something uncertain or hard and turns it into a permanent disaster?
Today, I’m continuing the Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest series with a focus on Catastrophizing. I’m going to talk about why your brain does it, how it steals your peace, and how to interrupt that worst case scenario spiral so you can approach your life and your big kid with calm confidence and self-trust…even when things are unpredictable and messy.
Join me to learn how to stop falling prey to the worst case scenario spiral.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, other moms seem closer to their kids than I am?
As moms, we care deeply about our relationships with our kids. When they pull away, we can feel anxious, rejected, or even convinced we’ve done something wrong. And when they stay close, that can bring its own pressure and responsibility. In this episode, I unpack how both experiences—distance and closeness—can trigger the same internal struggle: learning the delicate balance between holding on and letting go.
If you’re parenting teens and find yourself overthinking your interactions, worrying about whether you’re doing it right, or feeling the emotional weight of motherhood shifting as your kids grow more independent, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Have you ever walked away from a conversation with your teen or adult kid thinking, “I need to set a boundary here.” You’re tired of the disrespect. You’re so done with reminding them. You want to see progress and you don’t want to keep getting into the same power struggles.
Here’s what most moms don’t realize: the problem isn’t that you don’t have strong enough rules. It’s that you’re thinking about boundaries in the wrong way. In this episode, I’m going to show you why your boundaries might not be working — and what actually does. If you’re ready to stop the power struggles, calm the anxiety, and create more connection with your big kid without constantly feeling on edge… this one is for you.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I don’t know who I am if I’m not a mom.”
When your days have revolved around motherhood for decades, letting go can feel disorienting. The quiet house leaves space not just for freedom, but for overthinking, self-doubt, and anxiety. In this episode, I explore how staying stuck in “I don’t know” is actually a form of protection. Together, we unpack the fear that nothing will ever feel as meaningful as motherhood, the guilt that comes with setting boundaries around your emotional energy, and the belief that finding purpose now is somehow selfish.
If you’re standing on the edge of the empty nest wondering who you are becoming, this conversation will help you see that you’re not lost. You just need to find a way back to yourself.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Do you have a big kid who’s struggling with their mental health… and find yourself lying awake at night wondering if you’re doing enough?
When your child isn’t okay, it doesn’t just worry you, it can take over. Your thoughts. Your energy. Your sense of peace. You’re researching, supporting, advocating… and still questioning yourself.
In this episode, I explore how to parent a teen or adult kids through mental health struggles without losing yourself in the process. We’ll talk about how fear and guilt can intermix with love, and how that can leave you exhausted. And we’ll look at the question so many moms in this position face...When can you really know if you've done enough?
If you’re parenting a teen who is battling anxiety, depression, addiction, or other mental health challenges, this conversation will help you step into a steadier way of showing up, for your child and for yourself.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Have you ever felt tense in your own home… bracing for the sound of your teen’s footsteps or the tone of their voice? As moms parenting teens, this is one of the thoughts we’re often ashamed to admit: I feel like I’m walking on eggshells with my big kid. If you’re parenting teens or standing at the edge of the empty nest, you might recognize that constant fear of saying the wrong thing and making it worse.
In this episode, I unpack what that “eggshell” feeling really means. You’ll hear a very personal story from my own journey raising my boys and how learning the difference between influence and control changed everything. I share how learning to set down what wasn’t mine to carry helped me feel calmer, stop replaying every conversation in my head, and show up in a way that slowly rebuilt trust. Join me to learn how.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Do you ever feel like you know how you want to show up as a mom, and even as a woman in your own life, and still find yourself wondering why it feels so hard to actually show up that way? You know you want to be calmer and less reactive … and yet when your big kid pulls away, struggles, or no longer needs you the same way, you find yourself falling into patterns of control, self-doubt, or taking things personally.
In this episode, I’m going to help you understand why this happens, and how to more consistently access that version of yourself who you really want to be. I call her Mom 2.0...not a better version of you, but the empowered version of you as a mom and a woman who already exists (even if it doesn’t always feel that way). Join me to learn how to reconnect with her.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
My kid was struggling... and I didn’t even know it.
We spend so much of motherhood trying to keep our kids safe, happy, and successful. We set boundaries. We try to stay one step ahead. And yet… sometimes we still miss something.
In this episode, I share a personal story about discovering that my son had struggled years ago, and I had no idea at the time . I unpack the shame of “I should have known,” the fear that letting go means failing, and the mindset that keeps so many moms stuck in hyper-responsibility. I'll also explore the hard truth that we can guide our kids, love them, and support them...but we can’t force change, happiness, or success. They have to decide. And learning to trust that process is one of the most humbling...and freeing...parts of this stage of motherhood.
If you’re trying to stop overthinking, set healthy boundaries, and figure out what letting go really looks like without disconnecting from your child, this episode will help you find your footing.
Missing something doesn’t mean you failed.It might mean you’re raising a human...and you’re allowed to be one too.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Have you ever felt that knot in your stomach when your big kid seems off—and you immediately start wondering what you did wrong? This reaction doesn’t come from insecurity—it comes from love. Especially in this stage of motherhood, when your role feels less clear and so much feels uncertain, it’s easy to make your child’s experience mean something about you.
Today, I’m continuing the Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest series with a focus on Personalization. Once you understand why your brain keeps pulling you into taking responsibility for things that aren’t actually yours to carry—and how much that’s costing you—you’ll start to see a different way to stay connected to your child without carrying so much guilt, anxiety, or emotional weight.
This episode will change how you think about taking things personally so that you can let go of emotional responsibility and find real peace in this stage of motherhood.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Have you ever felt a sense of relief when your big kid leaves the house, and then felt terrible for feeling that way? In this episode, I explore the thought, “I'm relieved when my kid isn’t home.” If you’ve ever wondered what that thought says about you as a mom, you’re not alone. And you're not a bad mom.
Whether you feel like you’re walking on eggshells, struggling with anxiety about your child’s choices, or feeling the hurt of your kid pulling away, this episode will help you feel seen. I'll discuss the difference between loving your child and taking emotional responsibility for who they are, how they feel, and how their future turns out. I explain why moms so easily slip into overthinking, self-blame, and chronic anxiety, and how this keeps us feeling stuck and exhausted. The relief you crave isn’t found in your teen’s absence, but in learning how to set boundaries and focus on who you choose to be in the relationship.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
What if the anxiety and exhaustion you feel as a mom right now isn’t a sign that you’re failing—but a sign that you’re carrying more than you were ever meant to? If you’re parenting teens or young adults and stuck in that constant mental loop of when to step in, when to back off, and whether you’re somehow getting this stage wrong, this episode is for you.
In this conversation, I unpack why control feels so necessary for us moms and why it’s not a character flaw or a parenting mistake. I explain how control often becomes a coping strategy for fear, responsibility, and uncertainty, and why it stops working as our kids grow and need to figure life out on their own.
You’ll hear a compassionate reframe of letting go—one that doesn’t mean giving up, checking out, or caring less. I walk through tangible, real-life examples of what letting go looks like in everyday moments, from overthinking conversations to checking for reassurance, and how this shift creates more peace for you and more independence for your child.
If you’re a mom who wants to feel calmer, more confident, and more grounded while parenting teens or young adults, this episode will help you see control, letting go, and yourself in a whole new way.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Have you ever wondered if your teen or adult kid even cares how you feel?
In this episode, I’m sharing a deeply personal story from my own journey of parenting teens. I take you with me on a long, lonely overnight drive home from Chicago with my teenage son. At the time, it looked exactly like what so many moms fear: that all the love, effort, and sacrifice didn't matter. But years later, that same moment resurfaced in a way I never could have predicted.
In this episode, I explore why this stage of parenting teens can feel so heartbreaking, why it’s so easy for moms to personalize our kids’ withdrawal, and how our brains naturally fill in the gaps with painful stories about our worth and our role. I unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface — emotionally and developmentally — and why a lack of appreciation in the moment doesn’t mean your love isn’t landing.
If you’re navigating the empty nest transition, struggling with letting go, or feeling dismissed and invisible in your relationship with your teen or young adult, this conversation will help you feel less alone. You’ll walk away with a new lens for understanding your child’s behavior and an invitation to stay open to connection without chasing it or losing yourself in the process.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
If you’ve ever found yourself holding back advice with your teen or big kid—wondering whether to say something or let it go—this episode is for you. Because parenting teens and young adults puts us in a really uncomfortable place. We still have wisdom to share… but far less influence over their choices. And suddenly, advice that used to land now feels like it creates distance and power struggles. In this episode, I’m going to explore the difference between advice, expectations, and boundaries. You’ll learn how to decide when to speak up, when to step back, and how to show up in a way that protects both your peace and your relationship with your child.
Join me to stop second-guessing yourself and start feeling more grounded and confident in how you show up with your teen or big kid.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
I don’t feel close to my kid anymore.
If you’ve ever had that thought while parenting teens or navigating the empty nest, this episode is for you. I’m talking honestly about what it feels like when the relationship with your big kid changes—when they share less, pull away, or seem like they don’t need you in the same way they used to. This isn’t a sign you’re failing. It’s a painful and very human part of letting go.
In this episode, I explore why this kind of distance hurts so deeply, how disappointment turns into fear, and why we often try to fix the relationship by asking our kids to show up differently. What I’ve learned—through my own experience and my work with moms—is that demanding connection isn’t what restores it. Learning how to sit with our own discomfort, trust the bond we’ve built, and love without pressure is what changes everything. This episode is an invitation to rethink what letting go really means in the parenting teens and empty nest years—and how staying steady inside yourself is often the most powerful way to stay connected.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Have you ever noticed how much mental energy you spend wondering if you’re doing this parenting thing "right"? Maybe you replay conversations in your head, second-guess a boundary you set, or feel that pressure to do just a little more…just in case. That pressure doesn’t come from being overly critical or demanding — it comes from caring deeply. And from the belief that if you can just find the right way to handle things, you’ll finally be able to relax.
Today, I’m continuing the Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest series with a focus on perfectionism. In this episode, we’re going to talk about how the search for the “right” way fuels anxiety, erodes self-trust, and keeps you carrying more than you need to. And we’ll explore what it actually looks like to decide what’s enough — without waiting for your kid or your life to be different first.
This episode will change how you think about effort, responsibility, and what it really means to let go in this stage of motherhood.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, I’m the only one who cares — and felt both justified and completely exhausted by it? I hear this from so many moms who are parenting teens or navigating the early empty nest years. You care so much about your kids’ safety, happiness, and future, yet it often feels like you’re the only one paying attention, thinking ahead, or worrying about the consequences. In this episode, I explore how this belief often turns into they don’t care, so I have to — and how that mindset keeps us stuck in anxiety, frustration, and over-responsibility.
If you’re struggling with parenting teens, feeling on edge as your role shifts, or wondering how to practice letting go without giving up, this episode will help you see what’s really driving your reactions — and how to begin showing up in a way that supports your kids and yourself.
💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.
💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.
This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
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