What will you do when your children grow up and leave home? Suddendly, the day you dreamed about for years is before you. The house is empty, no cell phones ringing late at night, nor the children bringing their friends for dinner unexpectedly.
At this point, some individuals start to really miss their child’s presence, and start to feel alone. Empty Nest Syndrome is a term that is used to describe a feeling of depression some parents feel when their children leave home. Whether they go to college, get married, move into their first apartment , or travel around the world, some individuals have difficulty adjusting to being alone in the empty house.
Some parents struggle to find things to do. Others take advantage of the extra time, and fill their calendars with activities they weren’t able to do before.
I spoke to several parents about their experience as empty nesters, this is what they had to say:
“I consistently cooked to much food everyday, even thought I said, I would not cook at all.”
“I had difficulty falling asleep at night, because I was waiting to hear the car pull up in the driveway”.
“I laid awake at night waiting for my child to walk through the door’.
“No one was there to be reminded that the alarm clock has gone off, and it was time to get out of bed”.
“I continued to stock the refrigerator and pantry with snacks that could be eaten on the run”.
Some parents found themselves preparing their child’s favorite meal, even though they weren’t there to enjoy it.
Does any of this sound familiar to you? Do you know someone with simular experiences? Having to adjust to a new way of life can be challenging. Stay tuned for Part 2 where I will share some things you can do to fill the void, and occupy your time when your child go off to college.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Please leave a comment in the box below.
Click here to read part two of this post.
Ruby Freeman
Wishing you much success,
Ruby Freeman, Academic Coach / Founder of HelpingKidsLearn.org / Ruby@HelpingKidsLearn.org
