Children bring both joy and worry into our lives. Their departure from home is rarely greeted with relief. More often it is accompanied by feelings of emptiness and depression. Many parents may also be affected by the so-called empty nest syndrome
The empty nest syndrome is an emotional crisis consisting of feelings of loneliness, sadness and melancholy. Their combination results in a feeling of isolation and loss of identity.
The circumstances that trigger empty nest syndrome vary from family to family, just as the feelings that parents experience when their children decide to move out vary
It is important to remember that not all parents experience a crisis when their offspring move out of the home. When it does occur, it can be experienced in varying degrees. Couples who are emotionally intimate and have a solid foundation for their relationship are unlikely to be affected
However, when children are the only reason for the relationship, the likelihood of empty nest syndrome is high. It is normal to long for children and their company. It is normal to long for the children and their company and to worry about their safety and whether they will be able to cope in the new place. This feeling can generate stress and even depression in parents.
Not all experts are willing to talk about this disorder, some even deny the existence of the syndrome as such. And yet, there is no doubt that it entails a life change, both for parents and children
With their offspring moving out, parents have to organize their daily life in such a way that the change affects them as little as possible. Children also need to understand the new situation, accept it, and cope with it as best they can
The departure of offspring rarely happens spontaneously, so parents have time to mentally prepare for it. And when the nest is empty, parents have a number of tools at their disposal to get through this difficult time in a painless way, make the most of it and make it a stimulus for personal development.
When children are at home, we tend to put marital and partner relationships on the back burner. Moving the kids out is therefore a good time to strengthen your relationship, resurrect dim feelings and find enjoyable activities together.
It’s never too late to get in shape. Strength, flexibility, and balance are the three pillars we need to work on in order not to sink into ourselves and to stay in good shape for as long as possible. It will be easier for us to relax and take care of our health.
You need to accept the fact that children are now adults and make their own decisions. Establishing a mature relationship with them may turn out to be the beginning of the most beautiful chapter in the relationship between parents and offspring.
When you move out, it’s a good time to get back to the activities you left behind to devote yourself to raising your children. Often, our day-to-day responsibilities don’t leave us time to do the things we really enjoy and which are a real source of pleasure for us.
So this is the perfect time to get back to our old activities and take care of ourselves. This will keep our minds busy and we won’t be as susceptible to sadness and feelings of abandonment.
Retirement and children moving out can result in social withdrawal. Any courses or workshops are beneficial to our wellbeing in these circumstances, boosting self-esteem and helping us to enter old age in good health.
When we imagine life without children, we feel a sense of overwhelming sadness. Instead of getting carried away with the negativity of this period in our lives, look for the positives. This will help you look at the situation with more optimism.
Just because your children have left home and become independent doesn’t mean that you lose contact with them and stop being a parent. During this stage we can look for new ways to meet their needs and keep in touch with them to feel that they are close to us.
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