About this episode

This episode explores the challenges of maintaining connection with teenagers while allowing them the autonomy they need as they begin to launch into adulthood.

Send us Fan Mail Welcome! Thank you for being here! There’s a phase of motherhood that no one really prepares you for. It’s not the chaos of little kids, and it’s not the emptiness of the empty nest. It’s the in-between—when your teenagers are starting to launch, and everything is quietly shifting. In this episode, I explore the tension we all feel between staying connected to our kids and allowing them the autonomy they need to grow, and what that same tension looks like for us. Because while our kids are becoming more independent, we’re being asked to rediscover parts of ourselves that may have been tied to being constantly needed. And that’s not something we always talk about. I share a moment that caught me completely off guard, realizing how much I miss the built-in community that came with earlier stages of parenting, and how easy it is to feel socially full, yet still disconnected. And then there’s the piece I truly wasn’t prepared for: the “revolving door.” The friendships, relationships, and extended circle that become part of your life through your kids… and then slowly begin to change, fade, and move on. This isn’t just about our kids growing up. It’s about identity…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Jennifer Brubaker

Topics covered

• motherhood
• parenting teens
• autonomy
• connection
• midlife

Keywords

• motherhood
• parenting
• teenagers
• autonomy
• connection
• midlife moms
• self-development

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