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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

29:09

What the College Process Taught Me About Parenting...

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

2025/11/01

Parenting teens through the college process can stir up a mix of pride, fear, and anxiety that no one really prepares us for. Whether you’re deep in the application season or already adjusting to the empty nest, this stage of motherhood is full of moments that test our ability to let go.In this episode, I’m sharing what I wish I’d known before my boys went through the college process—the truths that helped me stop overthinking, ease my anxiety, and show up as the calm, confident mom I

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22:17

"My Teen Disrespects My Boundaries” —Thoughts Moms...

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

2025/10/29

Ever feel like your teen just doesn’t care about the boundaries you’ve set? You’ve tried being calm, clear, consistent — and still, nothing changes. You end up frustrated, questioning your parenting, and wondering if you’ll ever stop overthinking this stage of motherhood. In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast, I share what’s really going on beneath the thought, “My kid doesn’t respect my boundaries.” You’ll see how easy it is to fall into the illusion of control — believing that

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24:47

Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty...

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

2025/10/25

Have you ever noticed how motherhood can feel like one long emotional rollercoaster? One moment you feel calm and connected, and the next you’re anxious, frustrated, or doubting yourself. That constant up-and-down isn’t just part of the job — it’s one of the hidden mindset traps that keeps so many moms stuck in worry and self-doubt as their kids grow up.In this episode, I’m relaunching my Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest series — starting with the one that drives them

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21:59

Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They...

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

2025/10/22

Have you ever walked into your own home and felt invisible? As a mom of teens in the thick of raising teens and adult kids, that feeling can hurt. In this episode, I open up about how easy it is for us moms to slip into the background of our own lives, constantly giving and doing for everyone else while quietly wondering if anyone even sees us. You've been there—the clean laundry left at the foot of the stairs, the untouched dinner dishes, the exhaustion of feeling like the glue holding

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23:58

Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty...

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

2025/10/18

Have you ever noticed how motherhood feels like one long lesson in letting go — but no one ever tells you how to do it? One moment you’re deep in the chaos of parenting teens, and the next, you’re staring at an empty nest, wondering how to stop worrying and start feeling at peace again.In this episode, I’m sharing a fresh take on mindset traps — those sneaky thought patterns that keep us moms stuck in anxiety, guilt, and overthinking, especially as our kids grow up and need us differently

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19:55

“I'm Codependent on My Kids”—Thoughts Moms Parenting...

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

2025/10/15

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I’m codependent on my kids”—and then immediately felt ashamed for it? You’re not alone. So many moms in the empty nest or parenting teens phase feel that tug between love and letting go. For years, we’ve been wired to sense our kids’ needs—to comfort, fix, and protect. That instinct doesn’t just disappear when they grow up. But sometimes our care turns into worry, overthinking, or trying to manage what we can’t control. Not because we’re needy, but

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21:41

Parenting Teens Without Pain - What If It's Not Too...

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

2025/10/11

Do you every feel like parenting your big kid without the frustration and anxiety is too good to be true?You try to be patient. You want to set boundaries and have productive conversations. But then somehow you find yourself falling back into the same patterns of reacting in ways you regret—or just feeling stuck in anger and worry.It can feel like the only way to feel better is to get your teen to change.But what I’ve learned is that peace doesn’t come from fixing your teen, your

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23:24

“My Husband Shuts Me Down”—Thoughts Moms Parenting...

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

2025/10/08

Have you ever tried to have a real conversation with your husband, only to feel like he completely shuts you down? You start with the best intentions — maybe you’re talking about your teen, or something that’s been weighing on you — and before you know it, he’s irritated, you’re frustrated, and you both end up feeling like you’re speaking different languages. If you’re a mom navigating parenting teens and the transition to the empty nest, you already know how emotional this stage of

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21:36

When Being Just a Mom No Longer Feels Enough While...

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

2025/10/04

Have you ever looked around your life and thought: Is this it? Am I really just a mom?As our kids grow into teens—or leave the nest altogether—it’s easy to feel both grateful and yet strangely empty. I’ve been there too. For years, I measured my worth through my kids’ needs, my to-do list, or the approval of others. But underneath it all, I was constantly asking myself, Am I enough? In this episode, I open up about my own journey through motherhood—those moments of folding laundry while

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21:54

“I Miss Being Needed”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens...

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

2025/10/01

Do you ever miss being needed by your big kid? When I think about the empty nest, and even those times when my boys were still at home, what surprises me most isn’t just the quiet house or the extra time on my hands. It’s how much I miss being needed. Parenting teens and young adults can feel like a constant practice of letting go — and sometimes it hurts more than we expect. If you’re a mom in this season, you probably know the ache I’m talking about. The texts that go unanswered, the eye

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22:53

Parenting Teens through Screen Time Struggles—The...

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

2025/09/27

If you’ve ever caught yourself staring at your teen glued to their phone—ignoring you, zoning out, lost in a scroll—and thought, “This can’t be good,” this episode is for you.Today I’m digging into what’s really going on with cell phones and screentime—why it feels so hard to set boundaries, and what’s behind the resistance (theirs and ours). I’ll share what I learned from Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, including some truly alarming data that had me feeling a wave of guilt—but

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20:21

“My Teen Walks All Over Me”—Thoughts Moms Parenting...

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

2025/09/24

Have you ever had the thought, “My teen walks all over me”… and then instantly felt ashamed for even thinking it? It's actually more like: If my own kid can treat me this way, what does that say about me?You're not just frustrated— you feelhurt, resentful, and afraidthat maybe you’ve lost the connection, influence and respect you once had with your big kid. In this episode, I dig into why this thought is so common for moms of teens. I’ll show you the surprising reason why the story you

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24:53

Invisible Contracts We Use When Parenting Teens—How...

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

2025/09/20

Have you ever felt frustrated with your teen? (Or maybe I should be saying, who hasn’t?!)As moms of teens and almost empty nesters, we naturally carry expectations about how our kids should act — and most of the time, those expectations are perfectly reasonable. We want them to show appreciation, to put in effort, to connect with us. But the reality is, teens don’t always meet those expectations. And when that happens, we’re left feeling frustrated, anxious, and even resentful. In this

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19:36

“I Should Be More Grateful”—Thoughts Moms Parenting...

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

2025/09/17

“I should be grateful.” As moms, we often feel this pressure to always be thankful. It's almost like we use gratitude as a way to push away other feelings. It’s as if admitting to sadness, worry, or even loneliness makes us ungrateful, when really those emotions are just part of the truth of our experience.The minute we add this pressure, that“I shouldn’t feel this way,” we layer guilt and shame on top of what’s already hard. In this episode, I share how this “should trap” shows up for us

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22:11

The Emotional Overwhelm of Parenting Teens and the...

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

2025/09/13

What if letting go in motherhood was never meant to feel easy — but it was always meant to grow you?As moms, whether we’re parenting teens or entering the empty nest, we’re asked to let go again and again. And it doesn’t just stir up sadness. It can trigger anxiety, overwhelm, and the constant urge to overthink. We wonder if we’re doing it right, if our kids will be okay, and what it means for us when they don’t need us in the same way anymore. In this episode, I share my own journey of

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21:52

“The House Is So Quiet”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens...

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

2025/09/10

The house is so quiet.If you’ve ever had that thought — and then immediately felt sadness, disorientation, or even shame — you’re not alone. In this episode, I share what it felt like to walk back into my home after dropping off my youngest son at college. The quiet was deafening. But what I realized is that it wasn’t just the absence of sound — it was the story I was telling myself about what that quiet meant. I talk with so many moms parenting teens or navigating the early empty nest who

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23:59

Emotional Outsourcing: When Your Teen's Mood Controls...

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

2025/09/06

Do you ever feel like your emotions rise and fall with your teen’s? If they’re stressed, you’re stressed. If they’re in a bad mood, suddenly you are too. It can feel like parenting teens or navigating the empty nest is one long emotional rollercoaster — and you’re just hanging on for the ride. In this episode of the Almost Empty Nest Podcast, I’m shining a light on a mindset trap I call emotional outsourcing. This is when moms hand over their peace, confidence, and connection to their kids’

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18:49

“Thank God They're Back in School”—Thoughts Moms...

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

2025/09/03

Ever felt secretly relieved when yourbid kidwent back to school—and then immediately guilty for thinking that? You’re not alone. But even as you think, "Thank God they’re back in school."—you can feel this sense of guilt, and maybe even shame that you feel so relieved.In this episode, I’m exploring why this sense of relief feels so tangled up with pressure, responsibility, and guilt. Join me totalk about what it means to be the one managing everyone’s emotions and productivity, and how that

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25:06

Letting Go of How Your Teen Reaches Their Potential |...

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

2025/08/30

What if the way you’re thinking about your teen’s success is actually making life harder for both of you? We put so much pressure on ourselves to parent our kids in the "right" way. We want our kids to be safe, happy, and successful—and at the same time, we’re constantly wondering if we’re doing enough or letting too much go.In this episode, I open up about my own experience of parenting teens—the messy push and pull between holding on and learning to let go. I’ll share why our maternal

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18:14

“My Teen Is Entitled”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens...

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

2025/08/27

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “My teen is so entitled,” and then immediately felt terrible for even thinking it? You’re not alone. This episode is part of my series on the thoughts moms parenting teens and adult kids are ashamed they think—and today, we’re talking about what’s really going on underneath this particular thought. I share a story from a client that might sound a little too familiar—when a small request turns into a big blow-up, and you’re left feeling dismissed,

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