142: 5 Things To Remember As Your Child Graduates from High School
Hello, my amazing friend!

Coach Christine,
Your Empty Nest Coach




"I know you have a million things you want to tell your child to make sure they are prepared for what’s ahead but don’t lose listening to their hopes and dreams as you navigate this transition."
Take a listen or read the full transcript at the bottom of this post.
⇓⇓⇓ More goodies below, too! Scroll down ⇓, so you don't miss anything! ⇓⇓⇓
@emptynestcoach 's podcast episode today: 5 Things to Remember as Your Child Graduates from High School
This Episode is Brought To You By
- Your Empty Nest Coach, Christine - click to view all of my gifts for you!
- SupaPass powers our community*
Episode Topics & Their Minute Markers
- 00:41 Quick Reminders
- 01:03 5 Things to Remember as Your Child Graduates from High School
First Time Here? Try This Order of Episodes
- The Your Empty Nest Coach Podcast Trailer
- Series 1: Empty Nest Prep - starts at episode #3
- Series 2: The C.E.O. of Your Life - starts at episode #64 (Protector is introduced)
- Series 3: The C.E.O. Toolbox - starts at episode #88
Episode Resources
- What is with the Daily Episodes? Here is the Explanation: The Daily Experiment, Your Empty Nest Coach Style: My Wish For You Today & New Things
- What’s New: 1:1 Coaching Open Spots
* affiliate link to SupaPass - which powers our community - coming soon! Should you purchase using the link, I make a commission.




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The Your Empty Nest Coach Podcast, Episode 142
FULL TRANSCRIPT
00:00:00
Christine: Hi, I’m Coach Christine. This is my podcast, it’s the Your Empty Nest Coach Podcast, and we’re on episode #142. If you are new here, know that I tend to use terms I’ve used in prior episodes - should you feel a bit lost when this happens, I invite you to use my show notes for a list of earlier episodes to get caught up! High-level, I’m all about coaching you to become the CEO of Your Life and in my world, CEO stands for Conscious Effective Olympian. You’ll do this by leveling-up
[level-up music]
your life in small increments - those small wins add up to big changes.
I appreciate that you pressed play on this episode today. Here we go…
[short intro music]
00:00:41
Some quick reminders: You’ll find a ton of information, resources and more on my website: YourEmptyNestCoach.com. I love feedback on episodes - see my show notes for how to do that - and if you enjoy this podcast, don’t forget to follow this podcast in your favorite podcast player. SupaPass, who powers our online community, (that’s coming soon) is our fabulous episode sponsor.
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00:01:03
[computer game level up music (short)]
Here are your 5 things to Remember as Your Child Graduates from High School - I’ll share 5 more in my next episode!
I’m gonna count down from ten.
10: This is a Big Deal - and I have ten things to say about this.
10. You raised a Human
9. You Learned A Lot About Parenting
8. You Learned A Lot about Yourself
7. You Cleaned a Lot of Messes both Physical & Emotional
6. Not a Milestone Everyone Reaches, Sadly
5. You’ve Experienced the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
4. Driving Lessons? If you got through those, those are No Joke.
3. You’ve had to Re-Learned Topics that your Child's Doing in School and You Did Year's Ago
2. You Spent A Little Bit of Money and number
1. And Made it to a New Level in Life
Isn’t that fun? When you have a countdown, and then have a countdown within a countdown?
[small giggle]
Okay, no more of that.
00:002:00
Number 9 out of Things to Remember as your Child Graduates from High School is to Celebrate it!
Whether the celebration is big or small, it’s worth celebrating. I don’t necessarily mean, this has to be a huge party. Think about how not only how your emerging adult can celebrate but also how you can celebrate. This is a milestone, and it doesn’t need to be all food truck in the driveway, magazine quality decor type of thing. You could decide to do a project together that commemorates this moment - one for both of you. Maybe spend a day going through photos of their childhood and seeing what ones they might like in a photo book or frame for their life ahead. Are they moving out tomorrow? Probably not, but for most of us that day arrives and the last thing we are thinking about in that moment is, what photos does my kiddo want for the future? What should I make sure they have? If you don’t have many photos - this is a reality for some - it would be a good time to talk about big memories and to document them. Maybe having a day or two set aside for that with music and favorite snacks - that sounds like a fun celebration to me.
If you are into the big parties and can do that - enjoy that - that is how you enjoy celebrating and both ways are valuable.
00:03:12
Number 8: Appreciate Growth
Some of these may sound like they’re the same - but while this could be celebrating, in my mind, it’s a little different. Taking the time to reflect not only on how much your child has grown but also how much you have grown as a human is a gift worth giving yourself. I’m not talking about height only here - I’m talking about emotional growth, maturity, taking time to try things to discover if they are a good fit for your life - and again, this is for both you as a parent and child. Think back to the first day they came home with you - who you were as a human and who you are now is different. Would past-you even recognize you now? This is a super fun exercise, by the way. If it brings you down, don’t do it, just let it go.
00:03:59
Number 7: Look at Life Skills
More than likely one day your kiddo will be moving out of your home. For some of us it is sooner than later - and for others we wonder when they will ever leave. Remember everyone has a different path for their life but this is a great time to take stock on life skills that they could use moving forward. Do you still book their medical appointments for them? Do you order and pick up their prescriptions? Do you remind them to take their prescriptions? Do they have any idea about how to manage their money - or how much rent would cost? Do they understand how credit cards really work? How to make some meals for themselves? You know, all those things that you need to survive day to day.
00:04:43
Number 6: Listen
Remember to listen to your incredible child now. If they are heading somewhere in the fall (or sooner), you won’t have this luxury soon. I know you have a million things you want to tell your child to make sure they are prepared for what’s ahead but don’t lose listening to their hopes and dreams as you navigate this transition. You’ll learn so much about them, and practice this early. Things like, “What a fun idea, how do you think that will work?” type of questions, rather than statements that shut down their sharing.
[music]
I’ll be back tomorrow to complete my list of ten things to remember as your child graduates from high school - yes, I’ll share five more things. Remember, I have 141 other episodes available for you to catch up on or relisten to when you are driving, doing chores or taking a walk.
My amazing empty nest friend, a little birdie reminded me that you are amazing!
Talk tomorrow!
[end music]
00:05:44
[blooper]
[end music]
[end]