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If your kids are leaving home—or you’re learning how to parent adult children—this episode is for you. Host Lauren Burns sits down with Kate Battistelli, author of The After Party of the Empty Nest and mom to Grammy-winning artist Francesca Battistelli, to talk about letting go, launching, and loving your kids in every season. From Broadway to homeschooling to praying for prodigals, Kate shares practical wisdom on boundaries, mentorship, community, and trusting God when your nest is suddenly quiet.

Why listen:

• Learn how to transition from manager to mentor as your kids become adults
• Practical ways to cope with empty nest emotions (grief, fear, identity shifts)
• How to pray (not control) and keep healthy boundaries
• Hope for parents of prodigal children
• Insights from the mom of Francesca Battistelli on nurturing calling and faith

Key Takeaways:

• The empty nest can be an invitation to deeper trust and fresh purpose
• Your role changes: from directing to discipling, from pushing to praying
• Community & mentoring protect against isolation and anxiety
• God’s “dare” often begins where your comfort zone ends

Timestamps:
00:00 — Welcome + Newsletter (get weekly encouragement at LaurenBurns.net)
00:20 — Meet Kate Battistelli (mom to Francesca Battistelli)
02:40 — Early life & career
04:28 — Broadway breakthrough, marriage, surrender
07:27 — Spiritual awakening & calling
10:05 — Homeschooling & a new family rhythm
13:34 — Empty Nest: grief, freedom, and purpose
16:55 — Encouragement for moms in transition
21:03 — Launching adults: boundaries, blessing, and trust
21:48 — When a child is prodigal: hope & prayer strategies
22:46 — The power of persistent prayer
27:05 — Guarding your marriage in new seasons
29:06 — Support for single parents
30:29 — Mentorship & community that sustain you
33:16 — Saying yes to God’s dare
39:54 — Strength through Scripture & faith

Resources Mentioned:

• The After Party of the Empty Nest — Kate Battistelli
• The Redeemed Newsletter: encouragement, Scripture, and tools for moms (LaurenBurns.net)

If this helped you, subscribe, leave a review, and share with a mom who’s launching or loving an adult child. Join the newsletter for weekly faith-based encouragement.

Contact Lauren:

Website laurenburns.net

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laurenburnsredeemed/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/laurenBredeemed/

YouTube @laurenburnsredeemed

https://linktr.ee/laurenbredeemed

Redeemed Newsletter: subscribepage.io/eft4YT

Merch  https://www.hiscollectionapparel.com/

Contact Kate:

Website https://katebattistelli.com/

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KateBattistelli/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katebattistelli/

The After Party of the Empty Nest: Mom is Not Your Only Name https://amzn.to/3JedvLEDisclaimer:

Disclaimer:

The purpose of the Redeemed Podcast is to share the love of Jesus