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’...
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Episodes
“My Teen Is Lazy”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 170
Have you ever looked at your teen—ignoring chores, blowing off school, stuck to a screen—and thought, “Why don’t they care?” Maybe you’ve even said: “They’re so lazy.”
It’s not that you want to judge them. It’s that...
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Why Vacation Feels So Hard for Moms of Teens—And What Lets You Reconnect | Ep. 169
Why does something that’s supposed to be fun feel so hard?
You plan the vacation hoping for rest, reconnection, maybe even a few magical moments. But instead, you find yourself wondering if your teen even wants to be...
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“I'm Just a Mom”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 168
Have you ever found yourself saying, “I’m just a mom”?
Maybe you wouldn’t say this out loud. The "just" a mom. Because you’re proud of being a mom. You love your kids more than anything. And yet… you can feel this...
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Do Chores Really Make Kids More Successful When Parenting Teens? What the Research Says | Ep. 167
Are you worried that your kid not doing their choices means they're never going to be responsible?
I saw a social media post referencing a Harvard study that claims that kids who do chores grow up to be more...
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“My Kid Doesn't Like Me”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 166
Absolutely—here’s a refined version in your voice: warm, grounded, emotionally honest, and empowering, with the right mix of personal connection and clear value:
Have you ever thought, “My kid doesn’t even like...
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Parenting Teens in the Empty Nest Straddle—How Moms Can Let Go Without Losing Themselves | Ep. 165
Are you a mom navigating the wild terrain of parenting teens — where one minute they need you and the next they’re pushing you away? Then this episode will show you that you're not alone.
I call this stretch of...
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“I’m Afraid I Messed My Kid Up.”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 164
Have you ever looked at something your teen is doing and thought, “What if this is my fault?” Maybe that you pushed too hard… or not hard enough. Maybe you missed a sign or set the wrong boundaries. If you've ever...
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How to Manage the Anxiety of Parenting Teens: 4 Steps to Let Go Without Losing Control | Ep. 163
Have you ever felt like your mind is constantly spinning with fear about your teen’s safety, choices, or future—and no matter how hard you try, you just can’t turn it off?It's not just you. In fact, what's really...
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“I Don’t Even Like My Kid.”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 162
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “I don’t even like my kid right now”—and then felt instantly ashamed? If you’re parenting teens or navigating the empty nest, this thought might sound shocking… but it’s far...
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Hard to Break Habits, Explained — What Nagging Really Solves for Moms of Teens | Ep. 161
Ever tell yourself, “I’ve got to stop nagging”—and then do it anyway?Or find yourself falling into the same bad habit you wish you could just stop? Whether it’s reminding your teen (again), pouring a glass of wine you...
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The Approval Trap: How Moms Parenting Teens Can Rebuild Confidence After Years of Putting Others First - Trap #12 | Ep. 160
Are you a mom of teens or young adults who finds herself constantly second-guessing decisions, holding back your opinions, or putting your own desires on pause to keep others happy? You might be caught in the Approval...
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Why Letting Go with Your Teen Feels So Hard—Trap #11—Resisting Reality | Ep. 159
Ever find yourself staring at your teen’s behavior thinking, this can’t be happening? Whether it’s a missed curfew, a cold shoulder, or the ache of disconnection, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of resisting what...
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