What Every Christian Mom Can Learn From an Empty Nester

Building Lifelong Relationships with Your Kids: Empty-Nest Wisdom with Jill Wagner

The Mommin’ Together podcast introduces a new series and a conversation with Jill Wagner, a mom of four in the empty-nest stage, about parenting with the long view so adult kids still want closeness. Jill shares her family story (married at 17; three biological children and adopting Hakeem at 13) and where her adult children are now, many living nearby with growing families. She emphasizes enjoying the years, not sweating small stuff, being fun but holding high standards, and building trust through everyday “little moments.” Key practices include responding rather than reacting, making what matters to kids matter to you, apologizing and repairing, choosing words carefully, creating a welcoming home, and fostering open conversations about taboo topics. Jill notes giving kids grace and respect, learning to step back with adult children, and she wishes she’d done more family worship time. Her core advice: kids don’t need a perfect mom—just a real one.

00:00 Series Kickoff

00:34 Why Adult Bonds Matter

01:02 Meet Jill Wagner

01:44 Jill’s Motherhood Story

02:43 Kids Today and Grandkids

03:59 Keeping Them Close

05:48 Empty Nest Perspective

07:52 How Kids Remember You

11:55 Traits That Build Trust

16:20 Respond Don’t React

21:34 Hard Talks and Careful Words

23:27 Letting Safe Rebellion Happen

24:19 Egg Therapy Emotions

25:29 Calm Down Spaces

27:05 Open Talks Boundaries

29:17 Kids Feedback Parenting

33:45 Dad Loss Family Values

35:20 Home They Return To

41:11 Grace Backseat Parenting

43:22 Resources Final Takeaways

About Jill:

Jill Wagner is a wife of 25 years to Brian and a mom of 3 boys, 1 daughter, and 1 daughter in law aging from 20-26 years old. Jill claims to be a professional dabbler as she got her teaching degree, real estate license, babysat kids, tried network marketing companies, owned traditional businesses and flipped houses before she landed upon her passion with the Juice Plus Company and made it to the top level in 2016.

In 2020 during the pandemic she decided to put herself out on social media sharing her family life along with the vulnerability of the struggles of teen pregnancy, marriage, addiction, infidelity, weight, and empty nesting. She has grown a following of over 2 million on her platforms and strives to help women find their voice as they choose to live in a place of courage instead of shame.

Connect with Jill

TikTok: @authenticallyjill

IG: @authenticallyjill

FB: @JillSechrestWagner

Connect with Michelle

IG: @mommin_together

IG: @Michelle_Barnett_

FB: Join the Mommin’ Together Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14DaYZ5jchR/

How to Set Healthy Boundaries Without Mom Guilt | with Adrianne Miller

Host Michelle Barnett welcomes listeners to the Mommin’ Together podcast and interviews mom and speaker Adrianne Miller about setting healthy boundaries. Adrianne shares her background, including counseling and ministry with new moms, and defines boundaries as a “fence with a gate,” not an impenetrable wall. They discuss how unmet, often “sneaky,” expectations drive frustration and how guilt, obligation, and fear (“FOG”) can lead moms to overcommit and be walked over. Adrianne offers practical tools: reflecting on “me, we, they” (self, spouse, others), asking clarifying questions to surface expectations, and using “drive-through speak” to repeat back what was heard during conflict. They address navigating grandparents and generational differences with grace, communicating the “why,” and discerning when repeated hurt may require stronger limits or space. Adrianne’s mom advice is to be consistent, avoid survival decisions, and parent with the long-term goal of raising future adults.

About Adrianne:

Adrianne Miller is a wife and mom of 3 boys residing in Tyler, Texas. She shares her experience and knowledge on boundaries from walking her own journey and receiving biblical counseling to help her work through boundaries as a mom.

Connect with Michelle:

Mommin’ Together Instagram: ⁠@Mommin_Together ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/mommin_together/⁠

Michelle Barnett Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/michelle_barnett_/⁠

Join our ⁠Mommin’ Together Facebook Community⁠: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/1484794095771993⁠

Podcast on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mommin-together/id1787094979

Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0hn6cFLziITGVFuSXiI4ty?si=6c7abc0f099f4230