If you’re a mom of a teen and you ever find yourself thinking, “I should be more patient... I should give them more space… I should have done something differently,” this episode is for you.

In this week’s episode of the Mindset Traps of the Empty Nest series, I’m diving into the Should Trap. As moms, especially in this stressful season leading up to the empty nest, we carry around an invisible checklist of expectations—and when we don’t meet those expectations, we don’t just feel like we’ve made a mistake… we feel like we’re failing. In this episode, I’ll show you how this trap disguises itself as good parenting, where these “should” thoughts really come from, and how they layer with other mindset traps like personalization and perfectionism to keep you stuck in guilt, pressure, and self-doubt.

If you’ve been feeling like no matter what you do, it’s never enough—you’re not alone, and you’re not doing it wrong. Let’s unravel the Should Trap together, and help you reconnect with peace, self-trust, and the mom you actually want to be.