Скачать или смотреть Open Door, Not Empty Nest with Gretchen Rubin

I thought I was doing great with college drop-off (I even bragged to my girlfriends about making it two whole days without tears) but the adrenaline has started to wear off. Suddenly, weekends feel hollow without our family’s Sunday routine. Turns out it’s not just the drop-off that’s tough, it’s the days after when the quiet gets louder. That’s why Penn and I are so grateful to sit down with New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, and speaker Gretchen Rubin, one of my favorite voices on happiness and habits this week.

Gretchen says this season isn’t an “empty nest,” it’s an open door—a time of possibility, connection, and, yes, some grief mixed with growth. We talk about how to cope when the wine and desserts aren’t cutting it, how to replace old family traditions with new ones, and why weekends can feel especially heavy. Gretchen also gives us permission to create new rituals, like her idea of a buffercation—a post-drop-off trip that softens the blow.We also dive into parenting identities, the joy (and limits) of constant kid updates, and why sometimes one parent has to cry while the other holds it together. It’s heartfelt, it’s hopeful, and yes, there are squirrel picnic tables involved.

So if you’re in the stage of life where the house feels too quiet, this episode might just help you reframe it—not as an ending, but as an open door to what’s next. We love to hear from you, leave us a message at 323-364-3929 or write the show at [email protected]. You can also listen to this show wherever you get podcasts. #podcast #college #parenting

Learn more about Gretchen Rubin: https://gretchenrubin.com/
Learn more about our ADHD kids book: https://theholdernessfamily.com/all-y...
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00:00 Welcome to Laugh Lines
2:12 College Dropoff Reflections
7:47 Laugh Line Call-In
11:17 Looking Back 5 Years
15:04 Welcome Gretchen Rubin
16:44 Empty Nest vs Open Door
29:00 What’s A Buffercation?
36:04 Finding Your Identity
42:51 The Four Tendencies
49:05 Splitting Ambivilance
57:09 Post-Interview Reflections + Squirrel Feeders