Why Moms of Teens Need to Stop Waiting to Be Celebrated — Especially in the Almost Empty Nest Years | Ep. 154
Mother’s Day hasn’t always felt the way I thought it would — especially as a mom of teenagers. I spent years waiting to be celebrated, managing my mindset around disappointment, and wondering if anyone really saw everything I was carrying. In this episode, I’m sharing a raw and honest reflection on why this day can feel so emotionally charged, and what I’ve learned about letting go — not just of expectations, but of the idea that our worth depends on anyone else’s recognition. If you’re navigating the almost empty nest, this conversation will give you the perspective and permission you didn’t know you needed.
Curious about coaching with Small Jar? Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program: www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0
This empowering podcast offers life coaching and parenting support for midlife moms navigating empty nest transitions with their teenagers. The podcast teaches moms how to let go of control and stop overthinking while cultivating a healthier mindset, building better communication with their teenagers, and learning to set boundaries. Moms will also be able to reduce anxiety, feel empowered, and find purpose.
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The "Should Trap": Trap: When Moms of Teens Feel Like They’re Failing (Even When They’re Not) | Mindset Trap #8 | Ep. 153
If you’re a mom of a teen and you ever find yourself thinking, “I should be more patient... I should give them more space… I should have done something differently,” this episode is for you.
In this week’s episode of the Mindset Traps of the Empty Nest series, I’m diving into the Should Trap. As moms, especially in this stressful season leading up to the empty nest, we carry around an invisible checklist of expectations—and when we don’t meet those expectations, we don’t just feel like we’ve made a mistake… we feel like we’re failing. In this episode, I’ll show you how this trap disguises itself as good parenting, where these “should” thoughts really come from, and how they layer with other mindset traps like personalization and perfectionism to keep you stuck in guilt, pressure, and self-doubt.
If you’ve been feeling like no matter what you do, it’s never enough—you’re not alone, and you’re not doing it wrong. Let’s unravel the Should Trap together, and help you reconnect with peace, self-trust, and the mom you actually want to be.
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The Real Reason Boundaries Feel So Hard for Moms of Teens | Ep. 152
In today’s episode, I’m getting real about one of the hardest parts of raising teens—setting boundaries. Not boundaries to control your teen or fix their behavior—but boundaries that reconnect you to your own peace, clarity, and confidence. We’ll talk about why boundaries feel so hard (hint: it’s not because you’re doing it wrong), what’s actually underneath the guilt and second-guessing, and how the most powerful boundary you can ever set… is the one you set with yourself. If you’ve been feeling like you’re losing connection with your teen—or losing connection with yourself—this conversation will help you find your way back.
And if you’re ready to go deeper, join me in my free live masterclass happening this Tuesday. Sign up here: https://www.thesmalljar.com/setbound
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The Worst-Case Scenario Trap: Anxiety, Teens, and the Empty Nest Spiral | Mindset Trap #7 | Ep. 151
We’re continuing the Empty Nest Mindset Trap series this week with one of the most common and exhausting patterns I see in anxious moms: worst-case scenario thinking. Maybe your teen’s been struggling in school for a while… or they’ve been more distant lately. The concerns are real—but your brain takes that evidence and spins it into something so much bigger, imagining futures that feel terrifying and out of your control. I’ve been there too, lying awake at night trying to solve problems that haven’t even happened yet. In this episode, I’ll show you why your mind goes to the worst-case, how this spiral quietly steals your peace, and how to step out of the fear and back into calm, connection, and confidence—right now.
Download a free Mindset Trap Detector here: https://www.thesmalljar.com/detector
If you're interested in exploring Small Jar's Mom 2.0 Coaching Program, visit https://www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
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The Fear of Failing Your Teen - A College Decision Wake-Up Call for Anxious Moms | Ep. 150
This episode is for every anxious, almost empty nest mom whose heart is tangled up in her teen’s future. Whether you're in the thick of college admissions or simply watching your child make choices that feel high-stakes, I promise—you’re not alone. I share my own raw experience of watching my son navigate college decisions and the gut-punch of feeling powerless. But this isn’t just a conversation about college. It’s about the fear of failure—not just for our teens, but our own fear of failing them. And how that fear keeps so many of us stuck in anxiety, control, and self-doubt. We’ll explore how to let go, how to love without needing to fix, and why reclaiming your emotional peace is the most powerful gift you can give—to your teen, and to yourself. If you’re a mom who lies awake at night wondering if you’ve done enough…this episode is for you.
Download a free Mindset Trap Detector here: https://www.thesmalljar.com/detector
If you're interested in exploring Small Jar's Mom 2.0 Coaching Program, visit https://www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0.
Ireland