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:

"My Teen Disrespects My Boundaries” —Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 196 Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

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 your peace depends on your child’s behavior — and how to finally let go of that exhausting pattern.

Together, we’ll redefine what setting boundaries actually means. You’ll learn how to stop tying your emotional well-being to your teen’s choices and start focusing on the one thing that’s always within your control: how you show up. This simple mindset shift can help you reduce anxiety, rebuild confidence, and parent from calm instead of chaos.

If you’re a mom navigating the space between parenting teens and the empty nest, this episode will remind you that letting go doesn’t mean giving up — it means stepping into your power. You’ll see how life coaching tools and a new perspective can help you find peace, connection, and purpose in this next chapter 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.

Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest—Trap #1: The Emotional Rollercoaster—Ep. 195 Oct 25, 2025

Show notes

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 all: emotional reasoning. It’s the habit of believing that how you feel is evidence of what’s true — that anxiety means something’s wrong, or guilt means you’ve failed.

But once you understand this trap, you can start to see your emotions differently — as signals, not stop signs. You can stop reacting to every emotional surge and start responding with calm, clarity, and confidence. Dive into this series to learn how to step off the emotional rollercoaster and take your peace back — no matter what’s happening with your teen or in your empty nest.

💡 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.

“I Feel Invisible”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 194 Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

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 everything together. I'm going to explore why so many of us let this happen and how societal conditioning and our own loving instincts can trap us in cycles of overdoing, resentment, and guilt.

Through this conversation, I’ll help you see that the feeling of invisibility isn’t really about your family not seeing you—it’s about how somewhere along the way, you stopped seeing yourself. You’ll learn how letting go of guilt and overthinking opens the door to reconnecting with your own needs, setting boundaries with love, and rediscovering purpose beyond motherhood.

This episode is an invitation to shift your mindset—to stop searching for validation in everyone else’s reactions and start finding your worth within.

💡 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.

Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest—The Real Reason We Feel So Anxious As Our Kids Grow Up—Intro Ep. 193 Oct 18, 2025

Show notes

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. You’ll learn how your mindset can either keep you in constant reaction mode or help you create calm, connection, and confidence, even when life feels uncertain.

I’ll explain why your brain is wired to crave comfort and control (and how that makes letting go so uncomfortable), and I’ll show you how to start working with your mind instead of against it. If you’ve been feeling drained by the push and pull between wanting to help and needing to step back, this conversation will help you set boundaries with love, reduce anxiety, and begin finding purpose again — not through your kids, but within yourself.

Motherhood in this season isn’t just about letting go of your kids. It’s about letting go of everything in your mind that’s holding you back from peace, joy, and freedom in your next chapter. Join me to find out 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.

“I'm Codependent on My Kids”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 192 Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

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 because we’re afraid—afraid they’ll suffer, or that we’ll lose our connection or sense of purpose if they don’t need us the same way anymore.

In this episode I’ll share why this reaction makes perfect sense and what science says about how motherhood literally wires us to feel our kids’ emotions as if they’re our own. Join me to challenge this concept of codependency and understand what's really at the root of your emotional ups and downs as a mom.

💡 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.

Parenting Teens Without Pain - What If It's Not Too Good To Be True? | Ep. 191 Oct 11, 2025

Show notes

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 circumstances, or even yourself. It comes from understanding what’s really happening in your mind.

In this episode, I share why parenting teens can feel so painful — and what’s actually going on when you keep getting stuck in patterns that don’t reflect the mom you want to be. You’ll learn how letting go of judgment and getting curious about your emotions opens the door to real change. Because when you start shifting your mindset, you stop giving your power away. You learn how to set boundaries from calm instead of chaos, how to support your teen without losing yourself.

It’s not about giving up. It’s about letting go — of control, of guilt, of the belief that peace is out of reach. If you’ve ever thought, “That sounds too good to be true,” this episode 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.

“My Husband Shuts Me Down”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 190 Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

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 motherhood can be. And when your marriage feels disconnected on top of that, it can feel lonely and confusing. You might start to wonder if you’re the problem, or if you’ll ever get back to the kind of relationship you want.

In this episode of The Almost Empty Nest Podcast, I talk about what’s really going on beneath the thought, “My husband shuts me down.” We’ll look at how our mindset shapes the way we experience communication in our marriages — and how this same awareness can help us in every relationship, from our partners to our kids. You’ll learn why waiting for your partner to change keeps you stuck, and how to start showing up with more intention, even when communication feels hard.

You don’t have to wait for anyone else to change for you to feel better. You can take back your power and create the connection and peace you’ve been longing for.

💡 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.

When Being Just a Mom No Longer Feels Enough While Raising Teens or in the Empty Nest | Ep. 189 Oct 04, 2025

Show notes

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 everyone else was out chasing their dreams, and the dissatisfaction, and even resentment, that crept in when the house got quiet. I’ll share how this struggle shows up for so many moms of teens and empty nesters: the endless busyness, the invisible labor, the resentment, the guilt, and the anxiety. I also talk about the ways we chase “enoughness”—and why it never lasts.

What if you could stop chasing “enough”?

Your worth isn’t tied to grades, chores, or anyone else’s approval—it’s already within you. In this episode, I’ll show you how to shift your mindset so you can let go of doubt and rediscover yourself beyond 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.

“I Miss Being Needed”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 188 Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

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 rolls when you offer advice, the long weekends where you wait around “just in case” they need you. It’s easy to slip into overthinking, questioning yourself, and wondering if your value as a mom is fading right along with their dependence on you.

In this episode, I share a story about my son coming home from college, and how in one moment I felt the rush of being needed again, only to be reminded days later of the distance and independence that comes with this stage. Through that story, we’ll look at the deeper layers — why missing being needed stirs up grief, shame, and fear, and how mindset traps like all-or-nothing thinking and personalization can make it even harder.

If you’ve been missing the days when being needed was constant and obvious, this conversation is for you. Because even when our kids don’t show it, the bond is still there. And learning to trust that bond is what makes space for you to step into your next chapter with clarity and confidence.

💡 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.

Parenting Teens through Screen Time Struggles—The Phone Is Not the Only Problem | Ep. 187 Sep 27, 2025

Show notes

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 also helped me reframe what our role actually is as parents of teens in this digital world.

We can’t turn back the clock. And we can’t control our teens. But we can absolutely decide how we want to show up. Setting boundaries doesn’t have to be about power struggles and punishment—it can be about clarity, ownership, and connection.

And if you’re ready to stop second-guessing your boundaries—or feeling like you’re failing at holding them—I’d love to invite you to my next free masterclass on setting boundaries. I’ll walk you through the exact process I use with clients to create boundaries you can actually hold, without the constant fights.

💡 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.

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

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