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 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.

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.

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.

“My Teen Walks All Over Me”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 186 Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

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 feel hurt, resentful, and afraid that 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 attach to your teen’s behavior matters more than the behavior itself — and how shifting this perspective can help you reclaim your calm, confidence, and power without waiting for your teen to change first.

Imagine showing up to these challenging moments with a sense of peace, knowing that your value as a mom doesn’t depend on whether your teen listens, obeys, or even acknowledges your existence that day. That power is available to you right now, and in this episode I’ll walk you through how to start stepping into it.

So tune in, my friend — and if this resonates, I’d love for you to join me in my upcoming masterclass Setting Boundaries with Your Teen and Yourself. We’ll go deeper into what real boundaries are (hint: not just rules your teen ignores) and how to set them in a way that feels clear, calm, and effective

💡 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.

Invisible Contracts We Use When Parenting Teens—How To Stop Feeling So Let Down | Ep. 185 Sep 20, 2025

Show notes

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 episode, I’m talking about what I call “invisible contracts.” These aren’t mistakes you’re making as a mom — they’re the hidden expectations that we all carry, often without realizing it, that shape how we experience motherhood at this stage. You’ll learn how to recognize them, why they feel so painful when they’re not met, and how to shift your mindset so you can reduce anxiety, stop overthinking, and create more peace and connection with your teen.

If you’re a mom who’s ready to feel more connected, confident, and at peace — and to find purpose beyond motherhood as you step into the empty nest years — this episode will show you what’s possible.

💡 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 Should Be More Grateful”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 184 Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

“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 as moms raising teens and as we navigate the empty nest. Whether you’re letting go as your kids grow, navigating motherhood in midlife, or striving to find purpose in this next chapter, it’s easy to feel like you’re doing life wrong when gratitude doesn’t erase your harder emotions.

What if it's possible to make space for both gratitude and the full range of human emotions? Because when you let go of the judgment, you open the door to more peace, contentment, and fulfillment in your life.

💡 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.

The Emotional Overwhelm of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest—When Life Just Feels Heavy | Ep. 183 Sep 13, 2025

Show notes

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 navigating the empty nest and the flood of emotions that come with it. You’ll learn how to stop resisting reality, reduce anxiety, and see your emotions not as proof something is wrong, but as signals that can guide you toward peace. Together, we’ll explore how mindset shifts can help you stop overthinking, set boundaries that honor both you and your kids, and begin finding purpose in this next chapter of motherhood.

By the end, you’ll see that even when life feels heavy, you’re not broken — you’re simply being invited to grow. And you always have the power to choose how you want to show up, not just for your kids, but for 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.

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