Preparing Our Kids (and Ourselves) as They Leave the Nest, with Christina Geist

As kids prepare to leave home for college, we tend to wonder: have we taught them everything they need to know? Christina Geist—author of Before You Fly Away: Life Lessons from Home—shares how this transition can feel like a “parental report card.” Christina's late-night reflections and “mini panic moments" as her child prepared to leave for college became a collection of concise life lessons meant to guide her child toward independence. But the process also turned out to provide a way for Christina to process her own fears and hopes. Parents often harbor fear that things won’t go perfectly once kids leave home. Christina acknowledges that college—and life—will include mistakes, loneliness, and challenges. But those “blind spots” are actually essential. Growth happens when kids figure things out on their own, whether it’s resolving roommate conflicts or navigating new responsibilities. As Christina puts it: “Figure it out. You’re 100% capable.” Here's where you can find Christina: Buy BEFORE YOU FLY AWAY: What Fresh Hell is co-hosted by Amy Wilson and Margaret Ables. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: ⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Preparing Our Kids (and Ourselves) as They Leave the Nest, with Christina Geist is an episode from What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood by What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood.

This episode is 41:51 long.

This episode was published on Apr 10, 2026.

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