The Loud Quiet - Empty Nest Living

Rick and Clancy Denton | Empty Nester Life

Empty nest thriving! Rick and Clancy have been enjoying life together since the 90s. Starting in Aug 2023, with two college-aged kiddos they entered Empty Nest Living. A quieter house than before...a loud quiet, indeed. Join them as they laugh and cry while trying to figure out how to live the empty nest. Tune in for relatable stories, navigating the ups and downs of empty nest life with humor about the empty nest journey. 📖 Our book is here! Get your copy of The Loud Quiet – Love, Laughter and Life in the Empty Nest, here: https://amzn.to/4sC0EV7 © EX4CX LLC. All rights reserved.

  1. 2d ago

    Relationship Check In for Empty Nesters Part 1 E154

    What does a relationship check-in look like in the empty nest? This episode, Rick and Clancy go through their actual check-in questions. Unrehearsed. Real reactions. They cover togetherness versus independence, what's working day to day and what they'd change, and whether they still talk about anything besides logistics and the kids. Then they get into the five love languages, comparing results and where they overlap and where they don't. Part two picks up with their lowest-ranked love languages and what the next five to ten years might look like. Want to run these check-in questions with your own partner? Here they are: 1. Are we still on the same page about how we want to spend our time, such as more togetherness or more independence? 2. What's one thing about our day to day life together that's working really well right now? And what's one thing that you would change? 3. Do we still talk about things other than logistics, the house, the finances, the kids? When is the last time that we've had a conversation that wasn't about a task? 4. What's one way you feel loved right now and one way you wish you felt more loved? 5. What does the next five to ten years look like for us? Travel, work, retirement, relocating. 6. What does staying connected to our now grown kids look like? And are we on the same page around boundaries and involvement? Want to find your own love language? Take the quiz here: https://5lovelanguages.com/ Our book, The Loud Quiet – Love, Laughter and Life in the Empty Nest, is available now. https://www.theloudquiet.com Join our Facebook group for empty nesters and tell us how your own check-in goes. https://www.facebook.com/groups/theloudquiet 🎧 Find all episodes, podcast apps, and YouTube links here: https://www.theloudquiet.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Why relationship check-ins fade over time 02:15 Pre-crisis intervention vs annual check-in 03:29 Question 1: togetherness or independence 10:19 Question 2: what's working, what they'd change 14:27 Question 3: conversations beyond logistics 19:37 Question 4: how they feel loved, beginning 5 love languages 20:56 Clancy's top love language: acts of service 24:08 Rick's top love language: words of affirmation 26:18 Quality time, dreaming, and shared goals Want to be a guest on The Loud Quiet - Empty Nest Living? Send Rick and Clancy Denton a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/theloudquiethost Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

  2. Sep 3

    Why Family Experience Is Key to Your College Student's Success with William & Mary's Heather Deere E153

    Your student isn't the only one at college who has someone in their corner, you might too, if you know who to call. Heather Deere spends her days on the other end of the phone calls families make when they can't tell if their student is really doing okay three states away. She's the Director of Family Engagement & Student Affairs Communications at William & Mary. In this episode, she walks Rick and Clancy through her coaching model, the shift from directing a student to consulting with one, and why she tells every incoming family that senior year is a sweet chapter nobody should rush through. What you'll learn in this episode: Why William & Mary uses a coaching model for their family engagement approachThe most common calls Heather fields from families in the first six weeksHow Heather's own first-gen college experience shapes her advice to families todayWhy she tells families to let their student take their foot off the gas senior yearThe one question to ask before stepping in to handle something for your student Want to learn more about William & Mary's family engagement approach? Visit wm.edu/families or follow along on Instagram at WM_families. 📖 Our book is here! The Loud Quiet – Love, Laughter and Life in the Empty Nest https://www.theloudquiet.com Join the conversation in our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theloudquiet 🎧 Find all episodes, podcast apps, and YouTube links here: https://www.theloudquiet.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Introducing Heather Deere and William & Mary 01:11 What a coaching model means for families 04:15 Day-to-day calls families actually make 06:26 How differently each kid communicates 08:04 Being a first-gen student shapes her approach 12:10 Encouraging families to enjoy senior year 16:33 What families really feel during move-in 21:14 Common issues in the first semester 23:44 Retroactive guilt over old advice26:31 The question to ask before stepping in 31:55 Where to learn more about William & Mary Want to be a guest on The Loud Quiet - Empty Nest Living? Send Rick and Clancy Denton a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/theloudquiethost Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

  3. Aug 27

    How a Conference Sparked New Empty Nest Community Ideas E152

    A solo move-in for Teagan and a podcasting conference happened back to back this month, and together they got Rick and Clancy thinking bigger than they have in a while. The move-in was their tenth, routine on paper, but still came with new lessons. The conference is where the muse appeared. Conversations with fellow attendees, several of them empty nesters themselves, left Rick and Clancy with a clearer sense of how much appetite there is for real connection. That's what sparked the idea to take this beyond the microphone. Meetups. Happy hours. Retreats. Group travel. Nothing is decided yet, and that's intentional. What would YOU want to see the empty nest community grow into? Head to the podcast page at https://podcast.theloudquiet.com/ and leave a voicemail. Every one gets listened to, and yours might end up on a future episode. 📖 Our book is here! The Loud Quiet – Love, Laughter and Life in the Empty Nest https://www.theloudquiet.com✈️ Learn more about the brilliant podcast Two Guys On A Plane https://twoguysonaplane.com/ Got an idea for what this community should become? Tell us in the group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/theloudquiet 🎧 Find all episodes, podcast apps, and YouTube links here: https://www.theloudquiet.com CHAPTERS 00:05 Teagan's Solo Move-In Begins 01:35 Lessons From The Tenth Move-In 03:33 Wondering If She'll Want A Roommate Again 05:04 Straight From Move-In To A Conference 06:55 Feeling Re-Energized About The Business 07:59 Gratitude For This Community 09:45 Why Empty Nest Identity Resonates 11:20 New Ideas Start Taking Shape 12:33 Meetups, Retreats, And Real Life Events 13:23 Exploring Group Travel Together 14:41 Leave A Voicemail With Your Ideas Want to be a guest on The Loud Quiet - Empty Nest Living? Send Rick and Clancy Denton a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/theloudquiethost Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

  4. Aug 20

    What's A Death Doula? Empty Nesters find out with Jill McClennen E151

    Rick and Clancy started rewriting their wills this year, and that's what led them to Jill McClennen, a death doula, who says you don't have to be dying to use one. "It's also that with a death doula, you don't actually have to be dying to use a death doula. We really actually are probably more effective if we would work with people earlier on." - Jill In this episode: -Why death doulas are non-medical and work alongside hospice, not in place of it -How to know when it's actually time to bring in hospice or a death doula, and why most families wait too long -What to look for when choosing a death doula, including the questions worth asking before you hire one -How Jill helps families avoid the fighting and conflict that often show up around end-of-life decisions -How faith and religion factor into her work with different families -How she protects her own mental health doing this work full time You can find Jill and her work at End of Life Clarity: https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/ Her podcast, Seeing Death Clearly, is here: https://www.endoflifeclarity.com/seeing-death-clearly-podcast/ 📖 Our book, The Loud Quiet – Love, Laughter and Life in the Empty Nest, is here: https://www.theloudquiet.com Redoing our own wills is what got us into this conversation in the first place, and we know a lot of you are somewhere in that same process. Come talk through it with us in the group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/theloudquiet 🎧 Find all episodes, podcast apps, and YouTube links here: https://www.theloudquiet.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Why we're talking about death doulas 01:52 What led Jill to become a death doula 05:06 What death doula training actually looks like 08:41 Why death doulas are becoming more mainstream 12:03 You don't have to be dying to call one 14:50 How to choose the right death doula 16:31 The hospice timing mistake, and gifting a doula 19:25 Navigating faith and religion at the end of life 21:35 How a death doula works alongside hospice 25:44 Protecting her own mental health in this work 30:10 Why she also hosts a death and dying podcast Want to be a guest on The Loud Quiet - Empty Nest Living? Send Rick and Clancy Denton a message on PodMatch:https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/theloudquiethost Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

  5. Aug 13

    Are Calendars Busy?...or Full?...in the Empty Nest E150

    Busy, or full? Rick and Clancy started using that second word on purpose this episode, and it changes how the whole conversation flows. Rick names a trap he's been stuck in for years: believing that once you get through the next big thing, life will finally calm down. It never does. He's not convinced he'll fix that either, because he knows who he is. Clancy comes up with a different word for the whole thing. Full still has room in it, she says. In this episode, Rick and Clancy talk about: The book launch celebrationThe last-minute decision to go to AustinProtecting time for just the two of themLearning to say no as empty nestersThe pull between constant activity and real stillnessThe difference between becoming happy and being happy "It's full, but there's still room." - Rick📖 Our book is here! The Loud Quiet – Love, Laughter and Life in the Empty Nest https://www.theloudquiet.com If your calendar has felt more busy than full lately, come tell us about it in the Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/theloudquiet 🎧 Find all episodes, podcast apps, and YouTube links here: https://www.theloudquiet.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Rethinking The "I'm Busy" Reflex 00:54 Book Launch Party Recap 04:20 The Trap Of "Once We're Through This" 05:17 A Last-Minute Trip To Austin 08:16 Forgetting To Prioritize Time Alone 11:42 Learning To Say No 12:48 Errands, Pedicures, And Still Not Stopping 14:25 Overstimulation And The Value Of Quiet 19:43 No Downtime, Even On A Getaway 22:36 Choosing Activities Freely At This Age 24:47 Being Happy Vs. Trying To Become Happy Want to be a guest on The Loud Quiet - Empty Nest Living? Send Rick and Clancy Denton a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/theloudquiethost Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

  6. Aug 6

    Moving Kids Into College? What These Empty Nesters Learned E149

    Move-in day never quite goes the way you expect, even after doing it more than once. Rick and Clancy walk through what actually shifts each time, from how much to help unpacking a dorm room to when to step in on a rough roommate situation. "Help them, but only as much as they want to be helped" comes up early, and it holds up through the rest of the conversation. Budgeting gets its own segment, including the ten days of DoorDash during a COVID quarantine that no spreadsheet prepared them for. Communication comes up too, and how differently their two kids handled being away, from daily texts to the "proof of life" check-in Clancy had to establish herself. 📖 Our book is here! The Loud Quiet – Love, Laughter and Life in the Empty Nest https://www.theloudquiet.com If you've been through move-in day more than once, or you're staring down your first one, this is exactly the kind of thing we talk through in our Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/theloudquiet 🎧 Find all episodes, podcast apps, and YouTube links here: https://www.theloudquiet.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Intro And Season Kickoff 01:03 Help Only As Much As Wanted 02:50 Building Furniture And Learning To Step Back 04:00 Get Off Campus, Let Emotions Surface 08:01 Two Kids, Two Very Different Move-Ins 10:06 Budgeting For The Unexpected 14:55 The Proof Of Life Text 17:26 Different Rhythms, Not Rejection 19:12 Communication Hacks That Actually Work 20:37 Listen First, Fix Rarely 21:14 Where The Line Really Sits 27:24 Campus Resources And What's Coming Next Want to be a guest on The Loud Quiet - Empty Nest Living? Send Rick and Clancy Denton a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/theloudquiethost Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

  7. Jul 30

    Launching kids AND preparing empty nest parents the right way with Hanna Bankier E148

    How is the nest empty if you're still living in it? That question from Hanna Bankier is why we brought her on this week. Hanna runs Birdie Launcher, helping parents navigate launching their kids, and themselves, into whatever comes next. Her focus isn't the packing list. It's the relationship that has to get rebuilt once the packing's done. Hanna's website is a great place to start if any of this sounds familiar: https://www.birdylauncher.com/ Follow her on Instagram at birdylauncher. 📖 Our book is here! The Loud Quiet – Love, Laughter and Life in the Empty Nest https://www.theloudquiet.com If parenting a kid who's about to launch, or already has, sounds familiar, come talk about it with other empty nesters in our Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/theloudquiet 🎧 Find all episodes, podcast apps, and YouTube links here: https://www.theloudquiet.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome And Meeting Hanna Bankier 01:04 Why She Named It Birdie Launcher 03:31 The Problem With Empty Nest 04:17 Only Seven Percent Of Parents Plan Ahead 07:39 Checklist Culture Versus Relational Work 11:05 Gen X Parents Finally Talking About It 12:35 Parenting Is Managing Your Own Anxiety 18:26 Will I Still Be Needed 20:40 The Pre-Launch Relational Gift Conversation 23:08 Rewriting Your Job Description As Parent 26:33 Marriage, Divorce Risk, And Siblings Left Behind 31:28 Where To Find Birdie Launcher Want to be a guest on The Loud Quiet - Empty Nest Living?Send Rick and Clancy Denton a message on PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/theloudquiethost Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

  8. Jul 23

    Empty nest marriage tune up and a bucket list band E147

    We went into a marriage conference this weekend thinking we didn't really need it. Decades of marriage will do that to you. That assumption got proven wrong fast, especially in a breakout session on parenting adult children. Then we capped the weekend off with something completely impulsive that had nothing to do with marriage advice and everything to do with a nineteen dollar ticket. If you want to look into your own love languages, and how they change over time, that's the book we keep coming back to: The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman https://amzn.to/3Rhf00d (Amazon affiliate link) Catch the episode mentioned in today's show 🎸I Want to See Them Before One Of Them Dies - E22 https://youtu.be/YG601NqlgW4 📖 Our book is here! The Loud Quiet – Love, Laughter and Life in the Empty Nest https://www.theloudquiet.com If parenting adult kids or getting a marriage tune up of your own sounds familiar, come talk about it with other empty nesters in our Facebook group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/theloudquiet🎧 Find all episodes, podcast apps, and YouTube links here:https://www.theloudquiet.com CHAPTERS 00:00 Nearly Skipping The Marriage Conference 01:32 Feeling Too Experienced To Need Help 04:45 Every Couple Gets Something From It 08:23 Love Languages Now Have Dialects 09:37 How Gift Giving Preferences Change 13:09 Parenting Adult Kids Breakout Session 14:26 Releasing Kids From Holiday Expectations 15:28 Spiritual Intimacy In The Mundane Middle 19:02 The Marriage Tune Up Analogy 21:19 Finally Seeing Air Supply Live 24:24 Crying During Sweet Dreams 26:37 A Fun Night Capping The Weekend Want to be a guest on The Loud Quiet - Empty Nest Living?Send Rick and Clancy Denton a message on PodMatch:https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/theloudquiethost Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of the hosts and guests and should not be taken as legal, financial, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney, financial advisor, or other professional regarding your specific situation. The opinions expressed by guests are solely theirs and do not necessarily represent the views or positions of the host(s).

4.7
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Empty nest thriving! Rick and Clancy have been enjoying life together since the 90s. Starting in Aug 2023, with two college-aged kiddos they entered Empty Nest Living. A quieter house than before...a loud quiet, indeed. Join them as they laugh and cry while trying to figure out how to live the empty nest. Tune in for relatable stories, navigating the ups and downs of empty nest life with humor about the empty nest journey. 📖 Our book is here! Get your copy of The Loud Quiet – Love, Laughter and Life in the Empty Nest, here: https://amzn.to/4sC0EV7 © EX4CX LLC. All rights reserved.

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