# Episode 59: The Changing Family Dance

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-next-podcast-moving-forward-with-grief-and-loss-7049767/episode-59-the-changing-family-dance
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-next-podcast-moving-forward-with-grief-and-loss-7049767/episode-59-the-changing-family-dance.md
Podcast: [The Next Podcast: Moving Forward with Grief and Loss](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-next-podcast-moving-forward-with-grief-and-loss-7049767)
Published: 2026-04-21T19:18:08+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jay-cookingham/episodes/Episode-59-The-Changing-Family-Dance-e3i8hf6
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/fc08e024/podcast/play/118817702/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-3-21%2Fe7c3d584-f779-5f5e-20c8-bc9e3c2c7e83.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-next-podcast-moving-forward-with-grief-and-loss-7049767/episodes/episode-59-the-changing-family-dance
Duration seconds: 494

## Resource

Grief doesn’t just change your life—it reshapes your family. In this episode of The NEXT Podcast, Jay Cookingham reflects on how loss impacts the rhythms, roles, and relationships within a family, especially as a widower with adult children. After losing his wife, Jay found that grief didn’t just take away his partner… it disrupted the shared timeline of raising a family together. What once felt steady now feels, at times, uncertain, fuzzy, and emotionally complex. From co-parenting to navigating life as the only remaining parent, this episode explores: • The emotional weight of parenting adult children through grief • The “relational confusion” that follows loss • Letting go of control while staying connected • Learning new ways to love without overstepping • Trusting God with your children’s journey—and your own If you’ve ever felt the tension of wanting to help but not knowing how… or the ache of missing the way your family used to be… You’re not alone. Grief changes the dance. But with God, you can learn new steps. Find out more about me here: www.jaycookingham.com I’m on @buymeacoffee. If you like, even maybe love my podcast, you can buy me a coffee and support me. It’s a simple way of showing your support and helping me grow the podcast. Thank you! Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/jcdude56t The NEXT Podcast music "Song for Christine" is by Paul Grimsland.

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## Transcript

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