Ever felt secretly relieved when your bid kid went back to school—and then immediately guilty for thinking that? You’re not alone. But even as you think, " Thank God they’re back in school." —you can feel this sense of guilt, and maybe even shame that you feel so relieved. In this episode, I’m exploring why this sense of relief feels so tangled up with pressure, responsibility, and guilt. Join me to talk about what it means to be the one managing everyone’s emotions and productivity, and how that pressure doesn’t disappear when our kids get older. I share how perfectionism quietly fuels this mindset, how it makes “doing enough” feel impossible, and why emotional over-responsibility can affect not only us, but how we show up with our teens and college-age kids. You’ll learn why letting go is not about caring less—it’s about creating emotional safety in your own mind first. If you’ve ever felt like your peace depends on whether your kid is okay, or if you find yourself constantly overthinking how to support them, this episode is for you. I’ll show you what it looks like to parent from trust instead of fear, and how to reset your mindset so you can stop over-functioning and start feeling grounded again. 💡 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
[email protected] . This empowering podcast offers life coaching for moms and parenting support for midlife mothers raising teens as they approach the empty nest, teaching them how to let go of control, stop overthinking, and shift their mindset, while also helping them set boundaries, improve communication, reduce anxiety, release mom guilt, and find purpose in the evolving journey of parenting teens and motherhood.
