From the moment your children are born, they are the most important part of your life by far. When the time comes for them to move out, it can be one of the most emotionally challenging times of your life.
First and foremost, you need to do what is right for them. Nonetheless, you cannot afford to ignore your own needs. After all, an unhappy parent is one that is unable to unlock their full potential. So, here’s how to come through this difficult moment in the most effective fashion.
Get Your Living Situation Under Control
The empty bedrooms offer very little to your life other than the fact they require extra cleaning. As such, you may find that selling the property is one of the smartest things you can do. If nothing else, downsizing should free up some extra funds for living.
Make Time For Your Partner
It’s natural for parents to focus their attention on the children, but it can come at a cost. Now that they have flown the nest, it’s possible to start reinvesting time into your relationship. Dates can inject the passion and spark back into your love life and will restore a type of smile you’ve not had for years. Alternatively, if you’re single, this is the perfect time to start thinking about dating once more. It’ll be far less stressful on the kids for a start.
Get A New Hobby
Even if you’re still of working age, you’ll find that not having kids around the home frees up a lot of time. This gives you the perfect opportunity to fall in love with a new hobby. Whether it’s yoga or swimming, cooking or art classes, or learning a new language is a personal choice. Even if it takes you a few months of trial and error, finding an activity that you can enjoy on your own (or with your partner) is ideal. If nothing else, it’ll cure the boredom, which can only improve your life.
Find Time To See The Kids
Modern life is hectic and syncing up your schedules isn’t always easy. Still, it’s imperative that you find time for family activities. This quality time with your loved ones becomes even more cherished now that it’s less frequent. Your kids still need you, and you still need them. That’s never going to change and celebrating your relationship is something that no parent should ever take for granted. Frankly, this step is more important than all the others combined.
Remember You’ve Done Your Best
The fact that you’ve got your children to a stage where they are ready for college or living alone is something that’s worth celebrating. They are healthy, happy, and ready to make the future theirs. Give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
That time is coming closer for me. While I am kind of sad about it, I am happy to see the independent adults they are becoming.
As the first one left the others just took over the bedroom. When the last one left I turned it into my craft/work room.
Great tips. This will be hard for me when my kids leave. I will concentrate on a new hobby, I think. My husband and I might take more trips too!
I am so not ready for that yet. Thank goodness I still have quite a number of years with my little one. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry LOL. I do love all tips you have here! It definitely reminds me that I do need to remember my partner and not always focus on my kiddo.
I have been trying to encourage my mother in law to acquire a new hobby. She is an empty-nester, a widow, and recently retired, and I see signs that she needs something to focus on.
I really enjoyed reading this post. These are really helpful tips. Especially with our son graduating high school in the next couple of years.
Thanks for posting this. My kid is in his 2nd semester of college and I am still getting used to walking past his room and him not being there. Ugh, it’s tough.
This is such a wonderful and inspiring article. I love the way your wrote it.
Both of my kids are grown now, and it has definitely been an adjustment. I am still not sure what to do with one of their rooms.
I am so not ready for my kids to fly the nest, my firstborn is 16 and will graduate high school next year, it’s coming too fast!
3/5 of my kids are living on their own, and the other two are in college. (One is still living at home.) It is always an adjustment when they move out for good, and I appreciate these tips. I know it will be tough when the youngest goes. However, we won’t be downsizing for a while, so they will still come back to visit!
I’m not looking forward to those days at all. I know it’s quickly approaching, but I want to savor every moment.
I have a few years until the kids fly the nest but I am the time will be here before I know it. It is amazing how much time is spent with them and at their activities. It will be so different.
These are wonderful tips. I think that the most important is to find a hobby, to do something new in your life!
I’m a long way from having an empty nest, but it already worries me. Thank you so much for you advice on getting prepared.
Mine flew the nest 10 years ago and these would have really helped me cope better.
This is a good reminder for me as my daughter just headed back to college last week. I’ve done my best, and she’s a strong independent young woman.
My kids are now elementary school, so I am fine. But I too going to face this problem in future. It is for their betterment so I have to face it.