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
The Comparison Trap — How Moms of Teens Lose Confidence and Connection Trying to Measure Up | Ep. 68
I didn’t think I struggled with comparison—until I realized how often I measured my parenting, my kids, and even my worth against what I saw in other moms. In this episode, we dive into the comparison trap, one of the...
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Validation Trap — How Seeking Approval from Your Teen Keeps You Stuck | Mindset #3 | Ep. 67
As a mom navigating the complexities of parenting teens, it’s easy to fall into the habit of looking to our kids for emotional validation, approval, and a sense of self-worth. But when our kids start pulling away,...
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Catastrophizing — The Trap That Keeps Moms Anxious, Overthinking, and Bracing for the Worst | Mindset #2 | Ep. 66
I used to think I was just being prepared. But what I’ve come to realize is that I was stuck in a mindset trap: catastrophizing—constantly imagining the worst-case scenario and calling it “planning.” In this episode,...
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Confirmation Bias — The Mindset Trap That Distorts How Moms See Their Teens | Ep. 65
In this episode, I open up about the powerful and often invisible mindset trap of confirmation bias, and how it can deeply impact our parenting experience, especially during the teen years and as we approach the empty...
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Running Out of Time Parenting Teens — Letting Go of Guilt and Holding On to What Matters Most | Ep. 64
When I first heard the statistic that we spend 90% of our time with our kids by the time they turn 18, my heart sank. That number hit me like a wave of regret, especially now that my son is officially an adult....
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Redefining Success as a Mom — A Mindset Shift for Parenting Teens and Letting Go | Ep. 63
If success as a mom isn’t about perfect grades, college acceptances, or constant hugs and thank-yous, then what is it really about?
In this episode, I dig deep into the emotional and mindset shift so many of us face...
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Lifelong Connection in Motherhood with Your Big Kids - Special Guest Esther Joy Goetz | Ep. 62
I was honored to have author, influencer, connector and founder of Moms of Bigs, Esther Joy Goetz join me to talk about the lifelong journey of being a mom and how to create a lifelong connection with your children....
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Letting Go of the Pressure to Make Everyone Happy — A Mindset Shift for Moms of Teens | Ep. 61
This episode came to life during a family vacation—what should’ve been a chance to unwind but turned into a mirror reflecting how hard I still am on myself, even in rest. As my oldest prepares to head off to college,...
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Letting Go on College Move-In Day — A Mindset Shift for Moms of Teens Stepping Into the Empty Nest | Ep. 60
College drop-off is coming, and the countdown has begun. Whether you're sending your first or your last off to school, this episode is about the tidal wave of emotions that comes with this milestone moment in...
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The Dream Teen Checklist: Special Group Coaching Edition | Ep. 59
Join me for a sneak peak into one of Small Jar's recent Group Coaching Workshops, where we explore the topic of relationships, particularly the dream relationship we want with our teenager. In coaching, almost any...
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The Problem with “Happy Thoughts” — Why Real Peace in Parenting Teens Starts with Emotional Honesty | Ep. 58
I used to believe that if I could just change my thoughts, I’d feel better—less anxious, more calm, more in control. But when life as a mom of teens started to feel like a constant emotional roller coaster, I...
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When the House Gets Quiet — Facing Loneliness and Reclaiming Yourself in the Empty Nest Years | Ep. 57
This episode came from a quiet moment on a family trip—my first without my boys. As I walked onto the ferry alone, I felt the full weight of what it means to be a mom in the teen and empty nest years. The emotional...
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