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PODCAST

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

Master Coach Jennifer Collins

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

kids & family parenting

All Episodes

23:42

Parenting Teens and Adult Kids: Why Your Boundaries...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/03/07

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

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18:08

Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids are...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/03/04

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

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19:59

Parenting Teens Through Mental Health Struggles:...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/02/28

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

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20:37

Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids are...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/02/25

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

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21:18

Who Is Your Mom 2.0? Being the Mom You Want to Be as...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/02/21

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

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21:10

Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids are...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/02/18

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. Wetry 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

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21:45

Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/02/14

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

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21:09

"I'm Relieved When My Big Kid Isn't Home" —Thoughts...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/02/11

Have you ever felt a sense of relief when yourbig 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

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21:51

How to Let Go of Control When Parenting Teens without...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/02/07

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

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18:52

"My Kid Doesn't Care How I Feel" —Thoughts Moms...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/02/04

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

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26:02

Advice or Boundaries: What to Do When Your Teen Stops...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/01/31

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

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20:09

"I Don't Feel Close to My Big Kid Anymore" —Thoughts...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/01/28

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

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24:05

Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/01/24

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

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19:17

"I'm the Only One Who Cares" —Thoughts Moms Parenting...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/01/21

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 careso muchabout 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 oftenturns into they don’t care, so I have to — and

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26:13

Letting Go as Your Kids Grow Up—Sitting with the...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/01/17

Change is uncomfortable. And if you’re parenting a teen or standing on the edge of the empty nest, you may be feeling that discomfort more than ever.In this episode, I’m talking about why change feels so hard—even when it’s the change we want—why so many of us try to avoid that discomfort by staying busy, fixing, or just avoiding our pain, and what it actually looks like to sit with that discomfort in a way that brings peace instead of overwhelm. If this season of motherhood feels harder

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21:40

"I Don't Know What I Want Anymore" —Thoughts Moms...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/01/14

“I don’t know what I want anymore.”If you’re parenting teens, launching a child into adulthood, or standing on the edge of the empty nest, this thought might feel painfully familiar. It begins to show up in the space that opens as your kids need you less—and event more when the structure of motherhood shifts and you’re left wondering what’s next for you. In this episode, I’m talking about why so many moms feel disoriented during this stage of motherhood—and why it’s not because you’ve lost

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25:13

When Your Big Kid is Failing to Launch—Why Boundaries...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/01/10

Have you ever looked at your child’s life and wondered, what if they never figure it out?I hear moms use the phrase “my kid is failing to launch” all the time, and I know how much fear is in those words. Because this isn’t really about timelines or independence—it’s about the anxiety that creeps in when your kid seems stuck, and how quickly that fear starts to feel personal. And even if your child is still in college, still at home in high school, or you’re deep in the season of parenting

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17:02

"My Kid's Leaving and I Thought I'd Be Used To This...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/01/07

I used to think this feeling would go away with time. That eventually I’d be used to the goodbyes, the quiet, the shifting rhythm of motherhood. But whether your child is heading off to college, spending more time behind a closed bedroom door, or simply growing into their own independence, you can feel the ache that comes with realizing something is changing.In this episode, I talk about that feeling when your kids don’t need you in the same way, when they pull away just a little more,

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27:50

Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2026/01/03

Have you ever felt that panic that if you don't stay on top of things with your big kid, that something might go terribly wrong? You feel that urge to say the right thing, to remind them one more time, or to give them advice they didn't ask for. This urge doesn't come from wanting to control your kid. It comes from love, especially when life becomes so uncertain as your kids grow up.Today, I'm continuing the Mindset Trap series with a focus on the illusion of control. Once you understand

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18:41

"Nothing Changed This Year" —Thoughts Moms Parenting...

The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined:... ·

2025/12/31

If you find yourself thinking, “Nothing changed this year,”I hear you. And I've been there.So many of us moms reach the end of the year still feeling anxious, triggered, or unsure, and assume that meanswe haven’t grown. In this episode, I talk about why that thought feels so true—and why it often misses what really matters. As our kids grow, the challenges don’t go away; they change. Raising and launching teens requires more trust, more restraint, and a deeper tolerance for uncertainty

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