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

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.

Latest Episodes:

"I'm Tired of Fighting with My Big Kid”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 304 Nov 11, 2026

Show notes

What if the reason you’re so tired of fighting with your big kid isn’t just because of what they’re doing…but because of what happens inside of you when they push back?

In this episode, I’m talking about the power struggles that can take over motherhood during the parenting teens and empty nest years. I’ll share a story from my own experience with my son’s gaming, why setting boundaries does not have to mean going to war, and how our need for our kids to agree with us can keep us stuck in conflict.

You’ll learn how to stop making your peace depend on your kid’s behavior, build more self-trust, and know when to hold your ground, step back, or reconsider. If you want more calm, confidence, connection, and less anxiety and overthinking, this episode will help you see a new way forward.

💡 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? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching programs (both group and 1:1): www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0. Know you’re interested in group? Visit: www.thesmalljar.com/momcollective.

❓ 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.

The Cost of Trying to Avoid Your Own Discomfort—Five Ways It Makes Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest Harder | Ep. 303 Nov 07, 2026

Show notes

What if the thing you’re doing to feel less anxious is actually creating more anxiety?

As moms, especially while parenting teens or navigating the empty nest years, it makes sense that we want to protect ourselves from worry, disappointment, uncertainty, and regret. But sometimes our attempts to avoid discomfort lead us to overthink, control, catastrophize, or put our own lives on hold.

In this episode, I’m sharing five ways trying to escape discomfort can actually make motherhood harder. You’ll learn how emotional outsourcing keeps you stuck, why avoiding hard feelings can make your life smaller, and how letting go can actually help you feel more grounded and confident.

I'm not going to promise you that you'll never have to worry or that you should pretend everything is fine. But imagine what might be different if you could create the self-trust to stop overthinking, stay connected to yourself, and keep living your life even when your child’s path feels uncertain.

💡 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? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching programs (both group and 1:1): www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0. Know you’re interested in group? Visit: www.thesmalljar.com/momcollective.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.

"I Wish I Could Make Things Easier for My Big Kid”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 302 Nov 04, 2026

Show notes

What if the hardest part of watching your big kid struggle isn’t only what they’re going through…but everything your brain starts making it mean?

As moms, we naturally hurt when our kids hurt. But during the parenting teens and empty nest years, that pain can quickly become anxiety, self-blame, overthinking, and an urgent need to make things better.

In this episode, I’m exploring the difference between clean pain and dirty pain, and why understanding that distinction can completely change how you experience motherhood when your child is struggling. You’ll learn how to recognize when your mindset is adding unnecessary suffering, make space for the emotions that come with loving your child deeply, and stop believing their hard season means something has gone wrong.

Letting go doesn’t mean caring less. It means trusting yourself to be the mom you want to be while your child is still finding their 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? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching programs (both group and 1:1): www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0. Know you’re interested in group? Visit: www.thesmalljar.com/momcollective.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.

Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest—Series Intro: Why Letting Go Feels So Hard As Our Kids Grow Up | Ep. 301 Oct 31, 2026

Show notes

What if the hardest part of parenting teens and navigating the empty nest isn’t what your kids are doing, but what your own brain is telling you about it?

In this episode, I’m introducing the mindset traps that can keep us stuck in anxiety, overthinking, control, and frustration as our kids grow more independent. I’ll show you why your brain is wired to seek comfort, avoid pain, and repeat familiar patterns, and how that wiring can make letting go feel so much harder than it needs to.

You’ll learn how to recognize when your mind is operating on autopilot, create space before you react, and start choosing how you want to show up instead. Because this stage of motherhood doesn't ask you to care less, but to building the confidence to love your big kid deeply without making their choices responsible for your peace.

💡 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? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching programs (both group and 1:1): www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0. Know you’re interested in group? Visit: www.thesmalljar.com/momcollective.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.

“I Should Have More to Show for My Life”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 300 Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

What happens when your kids are getting older, life finally gives you a little more room to breathe…and instead of feeling grateful, you start wondering whether you’ve done enough with your life?

The empty nest and parenting teens years can bring up some surprisingly big questions about motherhood, identity, finding purpose, and what we have to “show” for all the years behind us. In this episode, I’m exploring why our brains keep moving the definition of enough, why we tend to discount so much of what actually counts, and why criticizing ourselves doesn't create what we want next.

I invite you to explore how to measuring your life against an invisible and moving finish line. You can still want more without making your life today wrong.

💡 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? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching programs (both group and 1:1): www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0. Know you’re interested in group? Visit: www.thesmalljar.com/momcollective.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.

The College Decision Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means—Letting Go When Your Teen’s College Admissions Process Feels So Big | Ep. 299 Oct 24, 2026

Show notes

If your kid is applying to college, waiting on decisions, or considering a transfer, it can feel like so much is riding on what happens next. But have you ever stopped to consider how much meaning are you giving one decision?

In this episode, I’m sharing what I learned after going through the college admissions process three different times with my two boys, including acceptance, rejection, disappointment, and eventually transferring. I’ll show you why a yes doesn’t guarantee happiness, a no doesn’t predict your kid’s future, and neither one says anything about whether you’ve done enough as a mom.

If you’re parenting teens and feeling consumed by applications, decisions, or what comes next, this episode will help you loosen your grip on the meaning you’re giving the college decision.

💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen or adult child? Join me for my next free masterclass: https://www.thesmalljar.com/class.

💪 Curious about coaching? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching programs (both group and 1:1): www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0. Know you’re interested in group? Visit: www.thesmalljar.com/momcollective.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.

“My Big Kid Won't Talk To Me Anymore”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 298 Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

What do you make it mean when your big kid stops opening up to you?

Maybe they give you one-word answers. Or they stop calling as much. Maybe you can tell something is going on, but they’re not telling you what it is. And before long, your mind starts filling in the blanks.

In this episode, I’m looking at what happens when we lose the kind of access we once had to our kids’ inner worlds and why that shift can feel so threatening during the teen, college, and empty nest years. I’ll show you the three places our minds tend to go when our kids pull back, why uncertainty can send us into anxiety and overthinking, and how our attempts to feel closer can sometimes create the exact opposite effect.

If you’ve been wondering what their silence means, this episode may help you see the situation very differently.

💡 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? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching programs (both group and 1:1): www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0. Know you’re interested in group? Visit: www.thesmalljar.com/momcollective.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.

The Cost of Trying to Prevent Your Kid’s Discomfort when Parenting Teens and Navigating the Empty Nest | Ep. 297 Oct 17, 2026

Show notes

What happens inside you when your big kid is struggling and you can’t immediately make it better?

In this episode, I’m exploring why watching our teens and adult kids feel disappointed, lonely, overwhelmed, or uncomfortable can create so much anxiety for us as moms. Our instinct is often to step in, offer advice, or try to smooth the path. But sometimes that urge to help can leave us more anxious while unintentionally sending our kids the message that they can’t handle hard things on their own.

I’ll help you see why your kid’s discomfort can feel so urgent to you, what it costs when you make it your job to take that discomfort away, and how to stay supportive without carrying the responsibility for making everything better. If you’re navigating parenting teens, the empty nest, or the messy middle of motherhood, this episode will help you feel more grounded and confident in how you show up.

💡 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? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching programs (both group and 1:1): www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0. Know you’re interested in group? Visit: www.thesmalljar.com/momcollective.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.

“I'm Embarrassed by My Big Kid”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 296 Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever watched your big kid do something and immediately thought, Oh my God… what are people going to think of me?

Today, I’m talking about the embarrassment that can come with parenting teens and navigating the empty nest years, especially when your kid is rude, reckless, irresponsible, or making choices you really wish they wouldn't make.

I’ll help you separate your kid’s behavior from your identity as a mom, so you can stop overthinking what other people think, loosen the grip of shame, and get clearer about what actually belongs to you. You can still have opinions, set boundaries, and care about your kid without making every choice they make mean something about the kind of mother 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? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching programs (both group and 1:1): www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0. Know you’re interested in group? Visit: www.thesmalljar.com/momcollective.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.

Unconditional Connection: What Parents Weekend Taught Me About Letting Go When Your Teen or Adult Kid Has Less Time for You | Ep. 295 Oct 10, 2026

Show notes

What happens when the child you would happily spend all weekend with can barely carve out dinner with you?

That was the reality of my recent Parents Weekend, and it gave me a front-row seat to something so many of us moms experience when parenting teens and in the empty nest. It's the temptation to measure connection by how much time, attention, or reassurance our kids give us.

In this episode, I’m exploring what I call unconditional connection. I'll invite you to consider that you can want more time with your child without making their behavior mean you matter less. We’ll look at why letting go of time with your big kid can feel so threatening and how to stop requiring constant proof that your relationship is still strong.

What if this stage of motherhood doesn't require you to accept less love, but instead it might be invite you to learn to trust the connection, even as your relationship with your child changes.

💡 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? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching programs (both group and 1:1): www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0. Know you’re interested in group? Visit: www.thesmalljar.com/momcollective.

❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at jennifer@thesmalljar.com.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

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

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected