Empty Nest (college) - 2014 (who else is 'suffering'?!)

Awww....I know the feeling but it's been years since my younger son went off to college for his senior year. I still get choked up when I hear about kids going off to school and both my sons are married, with children and out of college for 8 years now. Silly, huh? So I can definitely feel your sadness. Time flies by and before you know it, your son be graduating and on his own. Being on their own was harder for me cuz I knew once they got their own place, they will never come home again. Life as I knew it with all my kids living at home was a hard adjustment for me but time moves on and they grow up!!!

I have a special needs daughter at home so I'll never be an empty nester but I do miss my boys and life before they grew up. Now though, I get to enjoy my grandchildren and that's a very special feeling.

Hang in there!!

Yes, hang in there! It always broke my heart to hear people say they couldn't wait till their kids left. I loved having my 'adult' children home. I was lucky, only one was away at college at a time. After graduation, they both came home and saved up to buy houses of their own.

It has been 1 year now that we are totally alone...and it still is hard to get used to! I git ya, SO PROUD, yet...

I got tired of hearing the 'let go' speech from people. YES, we know all that...but it doesn't fill the silence of an empty house. I also constantly heard...'Once they leave, you'll get used to it and never want them back!' It has been a year and I am not used to it yet.

Honestly the only thing that helped me? I got a puppy and am loving the dickens out of her. Blessed to be able to bring her to work too! She is a BIG help! I know...sounds silly!

I know it sounds silly to some but we got another puppy when our kids were in college too. I think it does take away the deafening silence in the house. But think twice about getting one if you aren't going to be home most of the time. I work at home so our Bichon really keeps me company. We never leave him for more than about 5 hours and that's a rare occasion.

We also never had an attitude of being in a hurry for our kids to leave and it was a heart breaker when they left for college. But it was only a few weeks before we saw them again for parents' weekend, then Thanksgiving, then the Christmas break...... It kind of eases us all into it. By the time they graduated, took jobs, moved away we were all a little more acclimated. But that first drop-off was SUPER hard. We found out after our son was working in another city how hard it was for him to watch us drive away while he walked off with a group of people he had never met before! He never told us how scared he really was.

I have to say now that as much as I look forward to them visiting it is a relief when they go home. They have their own ways now and so do we We kind of enjoying having the house to ourselves now!! And fortunately they can now take care of themselves. I guess we did our job right

Best wishes for all of you and hang in there. It does get better!

We have been empty nesters for years, we love it!! As long as my kids are happy and healthy, I see no reason why they should not be living on their own. You will quickly get used to beds that are always made, clean bathrooms, etc. Hang in there, you will adjust.

Oh, I surely hope you ladies are right...thanks! As you all know, it's just hard to describe the feeling to someone who hasn't experienced it. I just want to awaken from this dream and have my real life back, but that isn't going to happen.

Sent my DD off lastThursday, and was a mess all day, but after she called me, I felt better. The house is quiet, and when I wake up each morning, I think she is still in her bed. She has called every day, and emailed, but I know the calls will stop, but do expect a daily, "I'm fine," email. I have tons of things to do around here, so that will help. I know people who don't work, have no hobbies, and of course they have a much more difficult time, as after years of being busy with running kids here and there, etc., etc., they are now left with nothing to do. I know our pups miss her as well as they slept on her bed, but not now.

On 8/25/2014 Shelbelle said:

We have been empty nesters for years, we love it!! As long as my kids are happy and healthy, I see no reason why they should not be living on their own. You will quickly get used to beds that are always made, clean bathrooms, etc. Hang in there, you will adjust.

I was so happy when mine left the nest that I threw a empty nester party, sold the house & downsized to a 2 bedroom condo & never looked back!

Has your son called you? (I bet he has.) Just stay busy and active so when you do talk to him, you have something to say so he doesn't think you are feeling so bittersweet about his being gone. But you can tell him you miss him. Is he coming home for the holidays?

It's tough being a single mom and coming home to a truly empty home. I just drove my youngest up to school and came home and deflated. I spent one day moping, sniffling, wandering. Today it was time for me to get back to work. Life goes on. I think I need to develop some new interests. Yes, it's his job now to go off and become his own person and live his own life. I don't want him to feel bad for leaving me. I am happy for him, but I also have my own personal emptiness that I have to deal with on my own. It's life. Highs and lows.