About this episode

This episode explores the mindset trap of validation seeking in parenting teens and how to find confidence and peace by letting go of needing validation from your child.

Have you ever noticed how much better you feel when your teen or adult child is open, responsive, or appreciative… and how quickly your mood drops when they’re distant or uninterested? Like you’re okay when they’re okay with you, but unsettled when they’re not? Today, I’m continuing the Mindset Traps of Parenting Teens and the Empty Nest series with a focus on validation seeking—the habit of relying on your child’s responses to determine how you feel about yourself. In this episode, I unpack why this pattern is so common for moms in this stage of motherhood, especially as you’re navigating letting go and redefining your role. You’ll start to see how easy it is to tie your sense of connection, purpose, and even identity to how your child shows up. But more importantly, I’ll show you what’s possible when you shift this. When you stop relying on your child’s responses to feel steady, you open the door to a deeper kind of confidence—one that allows you to set boundaries, trust yourself, and stay grounded no matter what. This is the work that changes how you experience both parenting teens and the empty nest, helping you feel more at peace, more connected, and more like yourself…

People in this episode

Host: Jennifer Collins

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Small Jar

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Almost Empty Nest—Letting Go, Redefined: Parenting Teens and Finding Yourself Again—with Small Jar Coach podcast page.