Open Door, Not Empty Nest with Gretchen Rubin

Sep 16, 2025

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At first, I thought I was doing great with college drop-off (I even bragged to my girlfriends about making it two whole days without tears!) But the adrenaline has started to wear off. Suddenly, weekends feel hollow without our family’s Sunday routine. Turns out it’s not just the drop-off that’s tough, it’s the days after when the quiet gets louder. That’s why Penn and I are so grateful to sit down with New York Times bestselling author, podcaster, and speaker Gretchen Rubin, one of my favorite voices on happiness and habits this week.

Gretchen says this season isn’t an “empty nest,” it’s an open door—a time of possibility, connection, and, yes, some grief mixed with growth. We talk about how to cope when the wine and cake aren’t cutting it, how to replace old family traditions with new ones, and why weekends can feel especially heavy. Gretchen also gives us permission to create new rituals, like her idea of a buffercation—a post-drop-off trip that softens the blow.

We also dive into parenting identities, the joy (and limits) of constant kid updates, and why sometimes one parent has to cry while the other holds it together. It’s heartfelt, it’s hopeful, and yes, there are squirrel picnic tables involved. So if you’re in the stage of life where the house feels too quiet, this episode might just help you reframe it—not as an ending, but as an open door to what’s next. We love to hear from you, leave us a message at 323-364-3929 or write the show at podcast@theholdernessfamily.com. You can also watch our podcast on YouTube.

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Laugh Lines with Kim & Penn Holderness is an evolution of The Holderness Family Podcast, which began in 2018. Kim and Penn Holderness are award-winning online content creators known for their original music, song parodies, comedy sketches, and weekly podcasts. Their videos have resulted in over two billion views and over nine million followers since 2013. Penn and Kim are also authors of the New York Times Bestselling Book, ADHD Is Awesome: A Guide To (Mostly) Thriving With ADHD and winners on The Amazing Race (Season 33) on CBS.

Laugh Lines is hosted and executive produced by Kim Holderness and Penn Holderness, with original music by Penn Holderness. Laugh Lines is also written and produced by Ann Marie Taepke, and edited and produced by Sam Allen. It is hosted by Acast. Thanks for listening!

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