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 Don't Feel Close to My Big Kid Anymore" —Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 222 Jan 28, 2026

Show notes

I don’t feel close to my kid anymore.

If you’ve ever had that thought while parenting teens or navigating the empty nest, this episode is for you. I’m talking honestly about what it feels like when the relationship with your big kid changes—when they share less, pull away, or seem like they don’t need you in the same way they used to. This isn’t a sign you’re failing. It’s a painful and very human part of letting go.

In this episode, I explore why this kind of distance hurts so deeply, how disappointment turns into fear, and why we often try to fix the relationship by asking our kids to show up differently. What I’ve learned—through my own experience and my work with moms—is that demanding connection isn’t what restores it. Learning how to sit with our own discomfort, trust the bond we’ve built, and love without pressure is what changes everything. This episode is an invitation to rethink what letting go really means in the parenting teens and empty nest years—and how staying steady inside yourself is often the most powerful way to stay connected.

💡 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 #5: Perfectionism—Letting Go of the Need to Get It Right | Ep. 221 Jan 24, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever noticed how much mental energy you spend wondering if you’re doing this parenting thing "right"? Maybe you replay conversations in your head, second-guess a boundary you set, or feel that pressure to do just a little more…just in case. That pressure doesn’t come from being overly critical or demanding — it comes from caring deeply. And from the belief that if you can just find the right way to handle things, you’ll finally be able to relax.

Today, I’m continuing the Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest series with a focus on perfectionism. In this episode, we’re going to talk about how the search for the “right” way fuels anxiety, erodes self-trust, and keeps you carrying more than you need to. And we’ll explore what it actually looks like to decide what’s enough — without waiting for your kid or your life to be different first.

This episode will change how you think about effort, responsibility, and what it really means to let go in this stage 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'm the Only One Who Cares" —Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 220 Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, I’m the only one who cares — and felt both justified and completely exhausted by it? I hear this from so many moms who are parenting teens or navigating the early empty nest years. You care so much about your kids’ safety, happiness, and future, yet it often feels like you’re the only one paying attention, thinking ahead, or worrying about the consequences. In this episode, I explore how this belief often turns into they don’t care, so I have to — and how that mindset keeps us stuck in anxiety, frustration, and over-responsibility.

If you’re struggling with parenting teens, feeling on edge as your role shifts, or wondering how to practice letting go without giving up, this episode will help you see what’s really driving your reactions — and how to begin showing up in a way that supports your kids and 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.

Letting Go as Your Kids Grow Up—Sitting with the Discomfort of Change | Ep. 219 Jan 17, 2026

Show notes

Change is uncomfortable. And if you’re parenting a teen or standing on the edge of the empty nest, you may be feeling that discomfort more than ever.

In this episode, I’m talking about why change feels so hard—even when it’s the change we want—why so many of us try to avoid that discomfort by staying busy, fixing, or just avoiding our pain, and what it actually looks like to sit with that discomfort in a way that brings peace instead of overwhelm.

If this season of motherhood feels harder than you expected—if you’re feeling anxious, uncertain, or unsure how to let go—join me as I talk about what’s really happening underneath that discomfort, and how to face change in a new 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 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 What I Want Anymore" —Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 218 Jan 14, 2026

Show notes

“I don’t know what I want anymore.”

If you’re parenting teens, launching a child into adulthood, or standing on the edge of the empty nest, this thought might feel painfully familiar. It begins to show up in the space that opens as your kids need you less—and event more when the structure of motherhood shifts and you’re left wondering what’s next for you.

In this episode, I’m talking about why so many moms feel disoriented during this stage of motherhood—and why it’s not because you’ve lost yourself or failed to plan ahead. I share a personal story from when my boys were still young, and how the same feeling I experienced then shows up again and again as we move through parenting teens, letting go, and eventually facing the empty nest.

What if the problem isn’t that you don’t know what you want… but that you’ve spent years being needed?

In this episode, I unpack the hidden mindset that keeps so many moms stuck waiting—waiting for the kids to be settled, for the anxiety to ease, for life to feel calm enough to finally focus on themselves. I talk about how this shows up differently when your kids are still at home versus when they’re grown, and why even after they leave, your mind can stay on duty long after your hands are no longer needed.

If you’ve ever told yourself you should be enjoying this phase more.... If you’ve felt restless, resentful, or sad, even though your life looks fine from the outside…If the idea of “finding your purpose” feels overwhelming or out of reach…This episode will help you see yourself with more compassion and clarity.

💡 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 Your Big Kid is Failing to Launch—Why Boundaries Aren't the Real Problem | Ep. 217 Jan 10, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever looked at your child’s life and wondered, what if they never figure it out?

I hear moms use the phrase “my kid is failing to launch” all the time, and I know how much fear is in those words. Because this isn’t really about timelines or independence—it’s about the anxiety that creeps in when your kid seems stuck, and how quickly that fear starts to feel personal. And even if your child is still in college, still at home in high school, or you’re deep in the season of parenting teens, this worry can already be there.

In this episode, I unpack what we really mean when we say a kid is “failing to launch” and why the usual advice about boundaries often leaves moms feeling more frustrated. I talk about the invisible expectations we carry and why trying to manage your child’s motivation only creates more anxiety and resentment. Most importantly, I explore what letting go actually looks like—not letting go of your kid, but letting go of the belief that you should be able to control their timeline.

If you’re a mom raising teens, launching young adults, or standing on the edge of the empty nest wondering if you did enough, this episode will help you come back to what is in your control. You’ll learn how to set boundaries that protect your peace, stop carrying responsibility that was never yours, and show up with more calm and confidence—even when the future 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 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 Kid's Leaving and I Thought I'd Be Used To This By Now" —Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 216 Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

I used to think this feeling would go away with time. That eventually I’d be used to the goodbyes, the quiet, the shifting rhythm of motherhood. But whether your child is heading off to college, spending more time behind a closed bedroom door, or simply growing into their own independence, you can feel the ache that comes with realizing something is changing.

In this episode, I talk about that feeling when your kids don’t need you in the same way, when they pull away just a little more, when the house feels different even though everyone still lives there. These moments might look different on the outside, but emotionally, they often stir the same grief and confusion. What makes it harder isn’t the sadness itself—it’s the judgment we place on it. The belief that because we’ve done this before, or because our kids haven’t technically “left” yet, we shouldn’t feel this way. But letting go doesn’t start at college drop-off. It starts the first time you realize your child is becoming someone you can’t fully follow anymore.

Whether your kids are young, teens, or grown, this episode invites you to stop judging your emotions and start understanding them—so this season of motherhood doesn’t feel like something you just have to endure, but something you get to navigate with intention and self-trust.

💡 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—Trap #4: Illusion of Control — Letting Go of Anxiety, Not Your Kid | Ep. 215 Jan 03, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever felt that panic that if you don't stay on top of things with your big kid, that something might go terribly wrong? You feel that urge to say the right thing, to remind them one more time, or to give them advice they didn't ask for. This urge doesn't come from wanting to control your kid. It comes from love, especially when life becomes so uncertain as your kids grow up.

Today, I'm continuing the Mindset Trap series with a focus on the illusion of control. Once you understand why your brain keeps pulling you into fixing and managing, and how much that's actually costing you, you'll see a different way to support your kid without carrying so much anxiety. This episode is going to change how you think about helping, letting go, and finding real peace in this stage of motherhood. Let's dive in.

💡 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.

"Nothing Changed This Year" —Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 214 Dec 31, 2025

Show notes

If you find yourself thinking, “Nothing changed this year,” I hear you. And I've been there.

So many of us moms reach the end of the year still feeling anxious, triggered, or unsure, and assume that means we haven’t grown.

In this episode, I talk about why that thought feels so true—and why it often misses what really matters. As our kids grow, the challenges don’t go away; they change. Raising and launching teens requires more trust, more restraint, and a deeper tolerance for uncertainty. And yet, we rarely recognize our ability to meet those changes as growth.

In this episode, I explore what it really means to let go—not perfectly, but year after year, in ways that shape us even when we don’t feel different. If you’re navigating the emotional complexity of parenting big kids or stepping into the empty nest, this episode will help you see the quiet ways you’ve been evolving all along.

💡 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.

Who Do You Want To Be in 2026?—Parenting Teens, Letting Go, and Learning to Trust Yourself in the Empty Nest | Ep. 213 Dec 27, 2025

Show notes

Have you ever stopped to recognize how much strength it’s taken to be the mom you are today?

If you’re parenting teens or standing on the edge of the empty nest, this season of motherhood can feel like a constant balancing act between holding on and letting go—of your kids, your role, and the version of yourself you used to be.

In this episode, I’m not talking about resolutions or fixing yourself. I’m inviting you to pause and recognize the quiet, powerful growth that’s already happened as you’ve navigated raising and preparing to launch your kids. I share my own journey of learning to release self-judgment, understand why we cope the way we do, and give myself credit for showing up—even when things felt messy or hard.

If you’ve ever said to yourself, “I need to be better in the new year,” this episode will help you reconnect with your strength, honor your past selves, and step into this next chapter with more compassion, confidence, and awe.

💡 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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