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:

“The House Is So Quiet”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 182 Sep 10, 2025

Show notes

The house is so quiet.

If you’ve ever had that thought — and then immediately felt sadness, disorientation, or even shame — you’re not alone. In this episode, I share what it felt like to walk back into my home after dropping off my youngest son at college. The quiet was deafening. But what I realized is that it wasn’t just the absence of sound — it was the story I was telling myself about what that quiet meant.

I talk with so many moms parenting teens or navigating the early empty nest who are surprised by how disorienting this chapter feels. Even when we think we’re ready — even when the teen years were hard — the quiet that follows doesn’t always bring peace. Instead, it stirs up grief, fear, and deep questions about identity and purpose. In this episode, I explore why that is and how our mindset, left unchecked, can quietly fill the silence with self-doubt and regret.

You don’t have to rush to fill the quiet with busyness. And you don’t have to figure out your entire future today. But you do have the power to change what you make the quiet mean. And when you do that — when you let go, not just of your kids, but of the outdated stories about what makes you valuable — that’s when your next chapter really begins.

💡 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.

Emotional Outsourcing: When Your Teen's Mood Controls Yours - Trap #13 | Ep. 181 Sep 06, 2025

Show notes

Do you ever feel like your emotions rise and fall with your teen’s? If they’re stressed, you’re stressed. If they’re in a bad mood, suddenly you are too. It can feel like parenting teens or navigating the empty nest is one long emotional rollercoaster — and you’re just hanging on for the ride.

In this episode of the Almost Empty Nest Podcast, I’m shining a light on a mindset trap I call emotional outsourcing. This is when moms hand over their peace, confidence, and connection to their kids’ moods, choices, or behavior. And the truth is, we’ve all done it. As our kids grow, letting go can feel almost impossible — but it’s also where we find freedom.

You’ll hear why this happens, how it shows up in everyday motherhood, and what it looks like to do things differently. I’ll talk about how emotional outsourcing impacts our ability to feel connected, to find purpose in this stage of life, to trust our decisions with confidence, and most of all — to feel at peace.

If you’ve been stuck waiting for your teen’s behavior to give you permission to feel okay, this episode is for you. You’ll walk away with a clearer understanding of this mindset trap and what it takes to stop outsourcing your emotions — so you can reduce anxiety, set healthy boundaries, and start creating the confidence, purpose, and peace you want in this next chapter of motherhood.

Tune in, my friend, and let’s reframe what letting go really means.

💡 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.

“Thank God They're Back in School”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 180 Sep 03, 2025

Show notes

Ever felt secretly relieved when your bid kid went back to school—and then immediately guilty for thinking that? You’re not alone. But even as you think, "Thank God they’re back in school."—you can feel this sense of guilt, and maybe even shame that you feel so relieved. In this episode, I’m exploring why this sense of relief feels so tangled up with pressure, responsibility, and guilt.

Join me to talk about what it means to be the one managing everyone’s emotions and productivity, and how that pressure doesn’t disappear when our kids get older. I share how perfectionism quietly fuels this mindset, how it makes “doing enough” feel impossible, and why emotional over-responsibility can affect not only us, but how we show up with our teens and college-age kids. You’ll learn why letting go is not about caring less—it’s about creating emotional safety in your own mind first.

If you’ve ever felt like your peace depends on whether your kid is okay, or if you find yourself constantly overthinking how to support them, this episode is for you. I’ll show you what it looks like to parent from trust instead of fear, and how to reset your mindset so you can stop over-functioning and start feeling grounded again.

💡 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.

Letting Go of How Your Teen Reaches Their Potential | Ep. 179 Aug 30, 2025

Show notes

What if the way you’re thinking about your teen’s success is actually making life harder for both of you? We put so much pressure on ourselves to parent our kids in the "right" way. We want our kids to be safe, happy, and successful—and at the same time, we’re constantly wondering if we’re doing enough or letting too much go.

In this episode, I open up about my own experience of parenting teens—the messy push and pull between holding on and learning to let go. I’ll share why our maternal instinct is so strong, how our expectations can actually create tension, and what it looks like to shift into a new mindset rooted in trust and curiosity.

By listening, you’ll gain insight into how to:

release some of the pressure you’re carrying,
notice where overthinking and anxiety may be adding weight, and
start setting boundaries and guiding your teen from a place of calm, rather than control.

If you’ve been feeling stuck in motherhood—wanting to support your teen while also trying to find your own footing and purpose as you move closer to an empty nest—this conversation is for you. My hope is that you’ll walk away feeling lighter, with practical tools to reduce anxiety, stop overthinking, and trust in your ability to handle whatever comes next.

💡 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 Is Entitled”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 178 Aug 27, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “My teen is so entitled,” and then immediately felt terrible for even thinking it? You’re not alone. This episode is part of my series on the thoughts moms parenting teens and adult kids are ashamed they think—and today, we’re talking about what’s really going on underneath this particular thought.

I share a story from a client that might sound a little too familiar—when a small request turns into a big blow-up, and you’re left feeling dismissed, disrespected, and totally unappreciated. We’ll unpack why these moments feel so painful, and how our emotional response is often tied to what we’re making their behavior mean.

I also introduce a mindset trap I call emotional outsourcing—the habit of tying our peace of mind to how our teen behaves. You’ll learn how this shows up, why it creates so much urgency, and how to step out of it so you can respond with calm, grounded leadership—even when your teen doesn’t.

And I’ll leave you with one powerful question to help you reset the next time this thought shows 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 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 Real Emotions Behind the Empty Nest—Is It Sadness, Emptiness, or Something Else? | Ep. 177 Aug 23, 2025

Show notes

What if the emotions of the empty nest aren’t as simple as just sadness? In this episode, I open up about the real layers we experience as moms parenting teens and launching them into their next chapter. The truth is, letting go is complicated. You may feel proud and relieved one moment, then lonely or lost the next. These emotions don’t come in neat little boxes—they overlap, collide, and leave us questioning who we are now that motherhood looks different .

I share how this stage of motherhood isn’t just about our kids leaving, it’s about our own mindset and the stories we tell ourselves. Many of us try to fix these uncomfortable feelings by keeping busy, overthinking, or relying on our teens for reassurance. But real peace and purpose don’t come from trying to control or avoid our emotions—they come from learning how to navigate them with curiosity and compassion .

If you’ve ever caught yourself overthinking, struggling to set boundaries, or wondering what your purpose is beyond motherhood, this conversation will resonate. I’ll help you see why it’s natural to feel anxious and uncertain right now, and how life coaching tools can help you reduce anxiety, stop overthinking, and begin creating connection, purpose, and direction in this next chapter .

I believe this season of motherhood doesn’t have to feel like a void. It can be a chance to rediscover yourself, strengthen your relationships, and redefine what letting go really means. Listen in—I think you’ll find hope, clarity, and a reminder that you’re not alone.

💡 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 Know How”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 176 Aug 20, 2025

Show notes

Ever found yourself thinking, “I don’t know how”—how to connect with your teen, how to let go, or how to figure out what comes next?

In this episode, I unpack the thought so many moms of teens and almost empty nesters are ashamed to admit. I explore why not knowing feels so personal, how it fuels anxiety, shame, and overthinking, and what it might look like to stay present—even when you don’t have a plan.

You’ll walk away with:

A new perspective on why “I don’t know how” feels so heavy—and how it quietly shapes your decisions
Real-life examples of how this thought shows up in parenting, purpose, and your relationship with yourself
Powerful questions to shift from needing certainty to exploring what’s actually possible

You’ve done hard things without knowing how before. So has your teen. What if this next chapter didn’t require certainty—just curiosity and a willingness to begin?

💡 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.

Rebuild Trust with Your Teen — Letting Go Without Losing Connection | Ep. 175 Aug 16, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever said, “I just don’t trust my teen right now”—or felt the hurt of realizing that somehow your child doesn't trust you?

For us moms navigating parenting teens and the road to the empty nest, it's amazing how complicated trust can become. We want to stay close. We want open conversations and honest connection. But instead, it can feel like our teens are pulling away, testing boundaries, and tearing down the trust we feel we deserve and desperately want to create. In this episode, I’m exploring why rebuilding trust with your teen or college-aged child can feel so hard—and what it really takes to build it back up again. I’ll walk you through the invisible mindset trap so many moms fall into when it comes to trust, boundaries, and letting go. We’ll talk about why trust starts to feel like a test—and what it means to go first in building the relationship you want.

If you're in the thick of motherhood, overthinking everything, anxious about the distance growing between you and your child, or unsure how to rebuild the closeness you used to feel—this episode will help you see that you’re not powerless. And you’re not alone.

Because trust isn’t something you wait for—it’s something you create.

💡 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.

“Nobody Listens to Me”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 174 Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “No one listens to me”? Maybe after your teen ignores your request, brushes off your advice, or doesn’t reply to your text. You’re not just frustrated—you’re hurt. And from this place, you start questioning yourself, wondering if you’re doing something wrong, or if you’ve somehow lost your place in your kid's life. What so many of us also do when we feel unheard and unseen is that we try even harder to be heard. But more effort doesn’t always lead to more connection.

In this episode, I unpack the hidden layers underneath the thought “No one listens to me.”
We’ll look at:

The emotional weight of being ignored—and why it feels so personal
How to shift from trying to get your teen to respond, to showing up with confidence even when they don’t
Why letting go doesn’t mean giving up

If you’re a mom of a teen or college kid feeling dismissed, unseen, or unsure how to hold boundaries without losing your mind, 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.

I Don’t Want to Miss This—Staying Present in Ups and Downs of Raising Teens and the Empty Nest | Ep. 173 Aug 09, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I want to enjoy this, but it’s just not going how I hoped”—whether it’s a family dinner your teen bails on or the quiet ache of the empty nest creeping in before it’s even here?

In this episode, I explore what it really means to be present in your life—especially during the messy, emotional seasons of parenting teens and letting go. As a mom, it’s so easy to miss the moment you’re in—not because it’s gone, but because your mind is already spinning with frustration, disappointment, or fear about what’s coming next.

We often think presence is about savoring the good moments, but what if it’s really about how we show up when things don’t go the way we imagined?

I’ll walk you through how mindset plays a powerful role in helping you stay grounded, why resisting reality only makes things harder, and how to hold space for your feelings without letting them take over.

You’ll hear the story of a client who anchored herself in the mindset “I don’t want to miss this,” and how that intention helped her stay centered—not because everything went perfectly, but because she was clear on how she wanted to feel.

By the end, you’ll have a new way to approach your own life—whether you’re navigating distance with your teen or facing the transition of the empty nest—with more clarity, more presence, and more peace.

Let’s stop missing this stage of motherhood and our lives.

💡 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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