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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

21:06

When Parenting Teens Breaks Your Heart—Letting Go...

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

2026/04/11

Have you ever had that moment where you realize… you can’t protect your child from what they’re going through? That no matter how much you love them, guide them, or worry about them...you don’t actually have control? That realization can hit hard, especially whenparenting teens and even well into theempty nest.If you’ve ever felt that mix of love, fear, frustration, and heartbreak all at once, this episode is for you. Because today, I’m sharing a personal story from one of the hardest

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21:57

“It's All On Me”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and...

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

2026/04/08

Have you ever had the thought as a mom… it’s all on me? If you’re parenting teens or navigating the empty nest, you probably know exactly what that feels like. The constant pressure, the mental load, the overthinking… the sense that if you don’t stay on top of everything, something important could slip through the cracks. In this episode, I unpack why this mindset feels so true, and why so many moms carry it. I talk about how love and responsibility get tangled together in motherhood, and

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19:57

Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty...

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

2026/04/04

Have you ever felt like no matter what you do as a mom… it’s just not enough? Like you should be more patient… more present… handling everything better, but you’re never quite getting it right?Today, I’m continuing theMindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nestseries with a focus on what I call the Should Trap. It's when your mind is constantly telling you what you "should" be doing that's different, but the result is that you stay stuck in guilt, pressure, and self-doubt,

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20:12

“I Wish I Did Things Differently as a Mom”—Thoughts...

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

2026/04/01

I know what it feels like as a mom ofbig kids to look back and think, "I wish I had done things differently." Especially when you start seeing who your child is becoming and wondering how your parenting shaped it. In this episode, I walk you through why that thought feels so heavy...and why it’s not actually about the past at all.If you’ve been stuck in regret, overthinking your parenting decisions, or questioning whether you did enough (or too much), this conversation will help you

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23:15

Letting Go of How Your Big Kid Reaches Their...

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

2026/03/28

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

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21:40

“What My Big Kid Does Is Hurtful”—Thoughts Moms...

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

2026/03/25

I know how painful it can feel when your relationship with your big kid changesand 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,

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24:19

Why It’s So Hard to Stop Putting Yourself Last when...

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

2026/03/21

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

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21:12

“I Only Have a Few Months Left with My Big Kid at...

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

2026/03/18

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

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25:41

Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty...

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

2026/03/14

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

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22:41

“Other Moms Are Closer to their Big Kids”—Thoughts...

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

2026/03/11

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

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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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