The Balancing Act: Nurturing Teens While Letting Go with Esther Joy Goetz

Parenting teens is a tricky balancing act—nurturing your child while letting them go. Every parent hopes their teen grows into a confident, capable adult who makes good choices and chases their dreams. But there's always the fear of them making big mistakes or getting hurt along the way. Esther Joy Goetz, author, speaker, and the force behind the popular Moms of Bigs social media community, is here to help us navigate this challenge. 

Esther's insights will empower you to find that balance between nurturing and letting go, while focusing on long-term, healthy relationships with your teens. She’ll also share what inspired her to create the Moms of Bigs community—a lifeline for moms of teens and young adults who are facing similar struggles.

 

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE • How to create a safe space that allows your teen to explore their individuality • Why healthy boundaries are key to building trust and respect • How to balance nurturing with letting go while maintaining a strong connection • Tips for connecting with your teen without expectations or pressure

 

5 KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR PARENTS OF TEENS

1. Creating a Safe Space – Give your teen the freedom to grow into themselves by providing a space where they can explore and make mistakes.
2. Healthy Boundaries are Essential – Establish boundaries that allow both you and your teen to feel respected, loved, and valued without overstepping.
3. Trust Without Expectations – Focus on connecting with your teen in an authentic way, free from strings or expectations, to build trust and open communication.
4. Respect in the Parent-Teen Relationship – Modeling respect, being seen, heard, and valued are vital for a thriving parent-child dynamic.
5. Long-Term Relationship Building – It's not just about today. Building a lasting, healthy relationship with your teen is key for their emotional growth and your connection as they become adults.

 

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RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Esther’s eBook: Moms Never Stop Momming (Get 20% off when you sign up for her newsletter!)

 

EPISODE CHAPTERS:

• 00:00 Introduction and Inspiration for Moms of Bigs
• 05:34 Navigating the Balance Between Nurturing and Letting Go
• 09:03 The Fear of Letting Go and Loss of Control
• 13:06 Creating a Safe Space and Setting Healthy Boundaries
• 23:12 Being the Bad Guy and Building Trust
• 28:41 Key Takeaways and Action Steps

 

CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Esther Joy Goetz

• Website: Moms of Bigs
• Instagram: @momsofbigs
• Facebook: @momsofbigs

 

CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST: Dr. Cam Caswell

• Website: AskDrCam.com
• Instagram: @DrCamCaswell
• TikTok: @the.teen.translator
• YouTube: Parenting Teens with Dr. Cam
• Facebook: @DrCamCaswell

 

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Dr. Cam (00:01.297) Hello parents, Dr. Cam here. As parents, we hope our kids grow up confident and capable. We want them to make good choices and chase their dreams, but we’re also worried they’ll make big mistakes or even get hurt. That’s why I’m so excited to have Esther Joy Goetz here today. Esther is an author, speaker, and the force behind the popular Moms of Bigs social media community. She’s here to help us find that balance between nurturing our teens and letting them go. Esther, welcome to the show.

Esther Joy Goetz (00:32.526) Thank you. I’m so excited to be here. And just when you said that, I thought, hmm, that’s the tricky tightrope of parenting teens.

Dr. Cam (00:42.353) It really, really is. Let’s start with a quick backstory. What inspired you to launch Moms of Bigs?

Esther Joy Goetz (00:52.942) Well, my daughter said to me, “Mom, you need to...” She’s so funny; she thinks that I have some wisdom. What really happened was, when she graduated high school, she said, “Mom, there are so many people out there that really don’t know how to do the mom gig well, especially moms of teens.” How can they know? I thought, well, I don’t know if I’m the answer