Overcome The Challenges Of The Empty Nest Syndrome
Aus Salespoint
Written by:Jeremiah Prescott
Time can be a funny, tricky thing. When you're mired in the duties and blessings your children provide you when they are young, you never think that in what seems like the blink of an eye you will be packing their things away as they head off to college or to homes of their own. Despite your best wishes, your children eventually grow into adults and leave to start their own lives. This is a pretty scary moment in your life as well, as you ponder the days of loneliness ahead. Know that with the right approach, this big life change can be navigated successfully.
While this transition may be tough on you as a parent, the knowledge that the physical distance between you will not lessen the strength and value of your relationship will help many a parent accept this change. The relationship is not ending. It is only going through a transition. No longer will it be one where the parent is in control of the child. Rather, the parent and child will be on the same level. Your child may still ask you for guidance on some things, but you will be surprised to realize that you are also beginning to consult your kids on major issues. The key is for both parties to be open and for no one to dominate the new relationship. It’s a great feeling to know that your child still needs your love and support, just in a different way.
Though the empty nest may leave you feeling low, this is the perfect opportunity to bring back the romance in your marriage. If you are constantly dealing with the demands of your little ones, it can be easy to neglect your marriage. Parenting is a full-time job. Often parents are too tired or rushed to find the time for brief romantic interludes. After the kids are gone, you and your spouse can do whatever you want. There is no one to look after, and you might as well burn the babysitter's number. Use this opportunity to reconnect with the person you first fell in love with and who helped you start this whole crazy parenting routine. Rekindle a little romance or deepen your friendship without interruptions.
If you are a single parent, tending the children may have kept you from meeting new people. This is an opportune time to reach out to others, meet up with old friends, or make some new friends.
Almost all parents keep their dreams and aspirations on the back burner while they turn their focus on fulfilling the needs of their children. Since the kids are grown up and on their own, this is the perfect time to begin to explore your interests. Some time-consuming hobbies which may have been ignored or neglected during the parenting years can now be taken up again. You can also use this time to follow academic pursuits if you are so inclined. Pick up a sport, tap into your entrepreneurial side, or hit the road. Whatever you have been putting off, now is the time to take it up again.
Don't launch yourself into a totally new world of irrevocable changes. Take time to get used to the way it is now before you make any huge changes. Feel free to stay in regular touch with your children and help them get used to their new lives. It may take a while to adjust, so give yourself that leeway. Once you and your children are used to the new order of life, it's time for some excitement! Savor the new experiences and joys this aspect of life can bring. Your job as a parent of little ones is complete. You did a good job preparing your child for what was ahead. Now it’s time for you to have a different kind of fun.
