197. Empty Nest Season: Preparing Your Kids (and Your Heart) for Launch
About this episode
This episode discusses preparing both children and parents for the transition of leaving home, emphasizing the importance of building trust and independence.
Whether your baby is still in diapers, you’re in the middle of the school years, your teenager just got their driver's license, or you've recently become an empty nester, the relationship you hope to have with your children when they leave home doesn't begin the day they pack their bags. It begins today. It begins with the culture you're creating in your home, the words you speak, the trust you're building, the way you respond to change, and the example you're setting. In this conversation, we talk about what it really feels like when your children begin leaving the nest—not just for them, but for you and even for the siblings they leave behind. We discuss the grief that can catch you off guard, the joy of watching your children become independent, and the mindset shifts that help us parent with open hands instead of clenched fists. You'll hear us talk about becoming an "open nester" instead of an "empty nester," why it's so important not to keep our kids small, how to prepare them with the life skills and confidence they'll need to launch well, and why it's never too late to change the patterns in our homes. One of my favorite reminders from this conversation…
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