Episode 59 The Empty Nest and “Miserable Mom” with Sharon Brecher
What to expect eighteen years after you’re expecting . . . That’s a book many parents need as their nest begins emptying. For Sharon Brecher aka Miserable Mom, the years and days leading up to her eldest heading to college were fraught and scary, as she anticipated day-to-day life without her daughter. She returned from drop-off to begin writing her book “Miserable Mom”. In the process, she created a community, became a mom-influencer, and more importantly, navigated the transition to this stage of parenthood.
Episode originally aired live on WVOX AM on May 11, 2023
Sharon’s Bio
Sharon L. Brecher is a mom-blogger, writer, illustrator, wife, and Miserable Mom. Her first book, Miserable Mom: The Do’s and Don’ts of Sending Your Kid to College, calls out the absurdities of this stage of motherhood with a wry sense of humor and a self-deprecating wink to her own place in the emotional merry-go-round. Sharon is a born and bred New Yorker, living in Southern California. She has raised two young adults (one about to graduate from college and one out) and has an MA in Education… as if that gave her all the answers! Sharon was the Educational Director of Futurekids, and spent several years working as a consultant for companies like Disney Interactive and Disney Online, where she created educational content for kids and guides for parents. Upon an emotional return from dropping her oldest off at college for the first time, Sharon needed to process some unfamiliar and vulnerable feelings. With one kid out and one to go, mid-life was upon her. This new phase would require the honesty and humor she always internalized, to process life’s challenges. But this time Sharon needed to share with other moms out loud! So, she sat down at her computer and Miserable Moms was born. You can follow Sharon’s comical perspective on navigating the often-humorous balance of raising young adults while maneuvering mid-life on her popular Instagram page @MiserableMoms and her website www.MiserableMoms.com.