About this episode

In this episode, Jennifer Collins discusses the challenges of worrying about older children and the difficulties of letting go as a mother.

Do you ever feel like you just can’t stop worrying about your kids? No matter how old they get or how independent they become, your mind keeps replaying conversations, imagining worst-case scenarios, and searching for ways to make sure they’ll be okay. If you’re a mom navigating parenting teens or the empty nest and you find yourself doing this, you are so not alone. In this episode, I’m talking about why letting go can feel so incredibly hard in motherhood and what’s really happening when we get stuck in overthinking and anxiety about our kids. I share a personal story about my son that helped me see how deeply our brains and nervous systems are wired to protect the people we love, and why worry can start to feel almost impossible to turn off. 💡 Interested in learning more about how to create peace, confidence and connection as you raise and launch your teen? Join me for my next free masterclass:  https://www.thesmalljar.com/class . 💪 Curious about coaching with Small Jar?  Check out our Mom 2.0 coaching program:  www.thesmalljar.com/Mom-2-0 . ❓ Have questions or want to share your feedback? I'd love to hear from you! You can email me at&nbsp…

People in this episode

Host: Jennifer Collins

Topics covered

• parenting teens
• anxiety
• letting go
• motherhood
• overthinking
• empty nest

Keywords

• worry
• parenting
• teens
• anxiety
• letting go
• motherhood
• overthinking
• empty nest
• coaching
• support

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Small Jar

More episodes of The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined: Parenting Teens and Finding Yourself Again—with Small Jar Coach

• “I'm Dreading Having My Big Kid Home This Summer”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 258 · June 3, 2026 · 15 min
• Parenting Teens and Adult Kids and Why It's So Hard to Stay Present for Their Wins | Ep. 257 · May 30, 2026 · 19 min
• “I Feel So Alone In This Experience of Raising Big Kids”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 256 · May 27, 2026 · 21 min
• Graduation Isn't Just About Them—Parenting Teens, Adult Kids, and Letting Go | Ep. 255 · May 23, 2026 · 18 min
• Boundaries You Set With Your Self: The Missing Piece in How You Show Up as a Mom Parenting Teens | Ep. 253 · May 16, 2026 · 19 min
• “My Big Kid Is Lying”—Thoughts Moms Parenting Teens and Adult Kids Are Ashamed They Think | Ep. 252 · May 13, 2026 · 18 min

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