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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When Letting Go Feels Impossible: The Anxiety of Raising Teens and Facing the Empty Nest | Ep. 110
I never knew raising teens would feel like this. The anxiety. The loneliness. The fear that I’m doing too much—or not enough. In this episode, I’m sharing the emotional truth so many moms carry but rarely speak aloud:...
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The Mentor Mom — Her Teen’s Fiercest Cheerleader… and Sometimes Their Toughest Critic — Archetype #4 | Ep. 109
If you're the kind of mom who always wants to guide, support, and cheer your teen on — this episode is for you. I’m talking about the Mentor Mom Archetype, the mom who shows up like a coach on the sidelines, rooting...
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The Nurturer Mom — The Mom Who Loves Her Teen Without Limits and Struggles to Let Go — Archetype #3 | Ep. 108
I used to think that if my kids were safe, happy, and doing well, then I was doing motherhood right. But no one prepared me for what happens when they grow up, pull away, or stop needing me the same way. In this...
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The Achiever Mom — She Strives for Her Teen’s Success and Struggles to Surrender Control — Archetype #2 | Ep. 107
Doing, striving, fixing—it’s how the Achiever Mom shows love. There’s pride in being the mom who shows up, who gets it done, who never stops reaching for what’s best. But when your teen starts making their own...
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Trusting Yourself — The Mom Who's Ready to Let Go of the Guilt and Lead with Confidence | Ep. 106
There comes a moment in every mom’s life—usually somewhere between the chaos of the teen years and the quiet of the empty nest—when you realize you’ve been so focused on keeping your kids safe, happy, and successful...
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The End-of-School-Year Overwhelm — To The Mom Who Holds It All Together While Falling Apart Inside | Ep. 105
Is it just me, or do we moms bear the brunt of the responsibility for the end of year celebrations and our kids' transition to summer? Your kid might be taking final exams and you're supporting them through that...
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The Guardian Mom — The Mom Who Lives to Protect Her Teen and Struggles to Let Go of the Worry — Archetype #1 | Ep. 104
Being the mom who sees every risk, anticipates every need, and quietly absorbs the worry feels like love—until it starts to feel like fear. The Guardian Mom wants nothing more than to keep her teen safe, but in the...
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What Type of Mom Are You? — Why Understanding Your Mind Changes Everything in Motherhood | Ep. 103
We spend so much time worrying we’re not doing enough—overthinking our parenting, second-guessing our instincts, and comparing ourselves to other moms who seem to have it all together. But what if the way you love,...
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Lessons I Wish I Knew Sooner — Learning to Love My Teen Without Conditions and Let Go With Grace | Ep. 102
Motherhood has taught me a thousand lessons—but none more important than how to love without conditions. This episode is personal. I open up about what it felt like to bring my son home after his first year of...
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Regret, Guilt, and the “What Ifs” — For the Mom Who’s Ready to Let Go of the Past | Ep. 101
Regret has a way of creeping in when we least expect it—especially in motherhood. Sometimes it sounds like, “I should’ve done more,” or “Why did I let that happen?” Whether it’s about parenting choices, missed...
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The Managed Mindset — Letting Go of Overthinking, Guilt, and Emotional Chaos while Raising Teens | Ep. 100
It’s easy to feel like life is happening to us—especially in this season of raising teens and preparing for the empty nest. We care so deeply that we absorb all the worry, guilt, and stress, and then wonder why we’re...
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The Judgment Mindset — How Labels, Guilt, and Overthinking Keep Moms of Teens Stuck in Anxiety | Ep. 99
Judging ourselves is second nature—we question our parenting, criticize our choices, and even feel guilty for just having negative thoughts. But that judgment doesn’t stop with us. It shows up in how we see our teens,...
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