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:

“Nothing Matters to My Kid”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 286 Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever walked away from a conversation with your teen thinking, Did any of that even register?

Maybe you set a boundary, explain why you’re worried, or tell them how much something hurt you… and all you get back is a shrug, an eye roll, or a flat “okay.”

In this episode, I’m exploring what happens when we interpret our big kid’s reaction as proof that they don’t care, haven’t learned anything, or that we’re no longer getting through.

I’ll help you see why their outward response may tell you far less than you think, how anxiety can turn uncertainty into a painful story, and why letting go of the need for immediate reassurance can change the way you approach parenting big kids. You’ll leave with a more grounded way to communicate, set boundaries, and trust yourself in motherhood, even when you can’t yet see the impact you’re having.

💡 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.

❓ 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.

Letting Go of the Invisible Contracts that Make Parenting Teens and Adult Kids so Hard | Ep. 285 Sep 05, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever been surprised by how much a late text, an eye roll, a messy kitchen, or a kid who barely talks to you can get under your skin?

Sometimes the behavior itself isn’t really the whole story.

In this episode, I’m exploring the invisible contracts we create with our big kids.... the unspoken expectations about how they should respond, appreciate us, follow through, or stay connected... and what we make it mean when they don’t.

If you’re parenting teens, navigating the empty nest, or learning the art of letting go, this episode will help you recognize where disappointment and resentment may actually be coming from. You’ll learn how to separate your kid’s behavior from the story your mind creates about your relationship, their future, or your motherhood, so you can stop overthinking, set boundaries intentionally, and feel more grounded in the mom you want to be.

💡 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.

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

“I Don't Know Who I Am Anymore”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 284 Sep 02, 2026

Show notes

What happens when the role that gave your life so much structure, purpose, and meaning starts to change?

In this episode, I’m talking about the identity shift so many moms experience while parenting teens, launching big kids, and moving toward the empty nest. When your kids need you less, it can stir up thoughts like, “I don’t know who I am anymore” or “Who am I, if I'm no longer needed?”

I’ll help you understand why those thoughts make so much sense, how motherhood can become deeply intertwined with your sense of value, and why letting go doesn’t mean losing the parts of yourself that mattered most.

You’ll come away with a new mindset for this next chapter... and a more empowering question than “Who am I now?”

💡 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.

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

The September Reset—Three Steps to Build Your Emotional Capacity for Parenting Teens and Navigating the Empty Nest | Ep. 283 Aug 29, 2026

Show notes

There’s something about a new school year that feels like a fresh start. But for moms in the teen and empty nest years, September doesn’t always feel fresh. Sometimes we arrive already exhausted... bracing for the school year, the college transition, the empty house, the next hard conversation, or whatever we fear might be coming.

In this episode, I’m exploring what it means to stop spending so much emotional energy preparing for impact and start building your capacity to handle what life actually brings.

If you’re parenting teens, navigating an empty nest, working on letting go, or trying to stop overthinking what could go wrong, this episode will help you think differently about anxiety, uncertainty, and motherhood.

You’ll learn why capacity isn’t about becoming tougher. It’s about trusting yourself to stay grounded, feel what you feel, and meet the next moment without needing to know exactly how everything will turn out.

💡 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 and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 282 Aug 26, 2026

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 programs (both 1:1 and group): 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 Your Big Kid's Life Takes a Left Turn—The Kind of Grief Moms Don't Talk About When Parenting Teens and Navigating the Empty Nest | Ep. 281 Aug 22, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever looked at your big kid and thought, “How did we get here?”

Maybe they’re pulling away, making choices you don’t understand, losing motivation, or heading in a direction that scares you. In those moments, parenting teens or young adults can bring up more than anxiety. It can bring real grief... for the relationship you thought you’d have, the future you pictured for them, and even the version of motherhood you expected.

In this episode, I’m talking about how to make space for that grief without letting it consume you. You’ll learn how to separate what your child is going through from what is yours to carry, stop overthinking what you should be doing, and begin letting go of the belief that you can’t be okay until they are. Whether you’re in the empty nest years or approaching them, this is about staying connected to your child without losing yourself.

💡 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 Like the Bad Guy When I Say No”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 280 Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

What if your teen’s disappointment isn’t proof you’re doing something wrong, but just part of parenting them as they grow?

In this episode, I’m talking about what happens when setting boundaries leaves you feeling like the bad guy. Whether it’s phones, parties, drinking, money, or an adult child living at home, it’s easy to second-guess yourself when your kid is angry or tells you you’re being unfair.

I’ll help you separate your child’s reaction from the actual effectiveness of your boundary, get clearer about what you can and cannot control, and recognize when a boundary is protecting your values versus trying to change your child.

If you’re parenting teens or navigating the empty nest years, you’ll leave feeling more confident about letting go, setting boundaries, and trusting yourself... even when your kid doesn’t agree.

💡 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.

College Drop-Off, the Empty Nest, and Letting Go—How to Stop Worrying about What Comes Next | Ep. 279 Aug 15, 2026

Show notes

Do you ever notice how much we focus on making sure everything is ok with our big kid... and then we feel a moment of relief when that happens... only it never lasts?

College drop-off is where this episode begins, but it’s about something bigger: loving our kids through transitions we can’t control. Whether you’re parenting teens, approaching the empty nest, watching a child transfer, graduate, or begin a job, the same questions can follow:
Will they be okay? And will I be okay if they’re not?

I’m sharing three truths that are helping me understand letting go differently. You’ll hear why uncertainty is so uncomfortable, why your child’s struggle feels so personal, and where your power actually lives when you can’t control what comes next.

My hope is that you’ll leave feeling more grounded and more trusting of both your child and yourself as you find your way through this changing season 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.

"I Don't Think My Big Kid Is Going to Be OK”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 278 Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

What happens when your kid is really struggling and you can’t stop your mind from imagining where it might all lead?

In this episode, I’m talking about the fear behind the thought, “I don’t think my kid is going to be okay,” and why it can leave us feeling anxious, powerless, and desperate to fix what we can’t fully control. I’ll help you separate what is actually yours to do from the pressure to somehow guarantee your child’s future.

This episode is about finding a steadier way to show up: loving your kid, supporting them, setting boundaries when needed, and trusting yourself even when you don’t know how their story will unfold.

💡 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 Life Is Better When My Big Kid Is Around—Letting Go as Your Child Builds a Life of their Own | Ep. 277 Aug 08, 2026

Show notes

What if the hardest part of letting go isn’t just that your child is leaving... but that you genuinely love your life more when they’re in it?

As our kids grow up, parenting teens and moving toward the empty nest can bring a strange mix of pride, sadness, connection, and uncertainty. We want them to build lives of their own, but that doesn’t mean we automatically know how to adjust when motherhood starts to look different.

In this episode, I’m exploring what may actually be underneath that sense of loss. You’ll learn how your mindset about closeness can shape the way you experience your relationship, why feeling less needed can leave you questioning your purpose, and how to stop overthinking what your child’s independence means about your bond.

Letting go doesn’t require loving your child less. It’s about learning how to stay connected while also building a life that feels meaningful, full, and all your own.

💡 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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