Oh gosh. I think it is going to happen sooner than I was expecting. My son is 19 and he is in college here locally. While he is planning on going to a school out of our area, I was not worrying about him leaving until next year. After all, I have plenty of time to prepare for the empty nest syndrome, right?? However, now he is talking about moving out with a friend. ACK!
While I know he will do great being the responsible kid that he is, I am nervous for him too! What if he doesn’t get to work on time? What if he picks up bad habits? What is he drops out of school or starts failing? Why can’ they stay young for longer??
Letting go and losing control is tough for parents! But now that I am facing the empty nest, how is my life going to change too?
I know my hubby and I have worked hard with our son and we are excited for him to take on this journey. Now we have to start planning for what we want to do with our lives. LOL Plus, how am I ever going to deal with the hubby continually by myself….haha! I know you know what I am talking about!
Help! What suggestions do you have for us as we start looking into the changes within these next few months and years?
My stepson is away for two weeks visiting his mom and his old town; we are going nuts and have no idea what to do with ourselves (he’s the last one). We did notice that we were suddenly flush with cash though, ha!
Our children may leave the nest, but they are always our kids and we want to help them whenever we can. now you need to set new goals for yourself and find things to do with and without your husband.
Thanks ladies! I know it will be a tough change, but better than him just leaving for school altogether! At least he will still be close… Now to figure out what I want to do. HAHA
I only had one daughter and she was quite difficukt, She left at 18 in bit great terms but hs eventually realized that what her folks were syaing wwasnt so dumb after all and has since done wuite well.
I think how we ajusted was doing more things together and some apaty since we gave diifferent interests.
You will do just fine its a great time in your lives.
It took a long time to adjust after the last of my kids left home. And all of them have matured at different rates, so I have had to feel my way through each one’s journey to independence on an individual basis. You don’t stop parenting just because they have left home. One stepped away and never looked back, never wanted any help or interference. One needed a lot of help at times due to immature decisions. The one that I thought would do best is the one who dropped out of college. But my husband and I have insisted on looking at the rest of our lives as our own and have made plans to use our years to come to do all the things we never did because we were working and raising our children. We have become closer than we had been in years. My youngest is 28 now and we still are available for assistance, financially and emotionally, if needed but I think we have made it through the worst. Just take it a day at a time and look ahead, not back. The best is yet to come!!
I’ve never had to deal with this (no kids.) Hmm, maybe you just have to ask yourself what you actually want to do with your life now that you don’t have to be responsible for getting another human being through the day! lol, not an easy question. What have you always wanted to do but never had time for? Empty nest syndrome might be easier to get through if you have a ‘project.’
I never had kids so I have no advice for you there. Just find things that you love to do by yourself and with hubby.