Sending Your Child to College: Navigating the Emotional Transition to Empty Nest

MomsWork Podcast with Kristin Weinrich & Maggie Sieklicki

There are few parenting milestones as exciting — and emotional — as sending your child off to college.

After 18 years of school drop-offs, packed lunches, sports practices, homework, family dinners, and being the person your child turns to for just about everything, suddenly you're helping them pack up their room and move into a college dorm.

And then… you have to leave.

In this episode of MomsWork Podcast, Kristin Weinrich sits down with Maggie Sieklicki, a wife, mom, and first-grade teacher who recently dropped her only daughter off at Penn State University for her freshman year.

Maggie shares what it was really like preparing her daughter — and herself — for this huge transition, from the endless college shopping lists and dorm room preparations to the much harder emotional work of letting go.

In This Episode, We Talk About:
What it's like parenting an only child and watching them grow up
The biggest logistical challenges of getting ready for college
What your child actually needs for their dorm — and what you probably don't need to buy!
Preparing your child to become more independent before leaving home
The emotions that come with college move-in day
The moment when it really hits you that your child is leaving
What it's like going home without your child
How often to communicate with your college freshman
Finding the balance between checking in and giving your child space
What to do when your child calls home feeling homesick or overwhelmed
Knowing when to step in and when to let your child figure things out
What changes for a mom when her child leaves for college
The things Maggie misses most — and the unexpected positives of this new stage
Advice for parents preparing to send their own children off to college
How to start encouraging independence long before move-in day
What parents should do — and shouldn't do — once their child is away
Learning to embrace a new kind of motherhood
The Emotional Side of Letting Go

We spend years preparing our children to become independent. But when the moment actually arrives, it's not always easy to step back and let them go.

Maggie opens up about the emotions surrounding move-in day, the first weeks of college, and learning how to navigate her new role as a mom of a college student.

Because sending your child to college isn't just a transition for them. It's a transition for you, too.

A Message for Parents

If you're getting ready to send a child to college — or you're still a few years away — this conversation is full of honest advice, reassurance, and reminders that you're not alone.

Your child leaving home doesn't mean they don't need you anymore. It simply means they need you in a different way.

And maybe letting go isn't about stepping away.

Maybe it's about trusting that all those years of parenting, teaching, guiding, and loving them have prepared them for this moment.

LASTAR Sun Lamp, 10,000 Lux Sunlight Lamp with 4 Color Temperatures & 5 Brightness & 1H Timer, Touch Control Daylight Lamp with Memory Function for Home

https://lastarhome.com/KRISTIN10LASTAR

Discount code: KRISTIN10LASTAR