The House is Empty! How Do I Fill It?!

Having your children move out of the house, permanently, can mean a new beginning for you or it can be devastating! When your children go off to college, I think we all secretly believe that they will be coming back, at least for a little while and so we put off the "empty nest" syndrome in our hearts and mind. However, when our children get that first job that allows them to support living in their own homes, the fact that they won't be living with you, anymore, becomes all too real!

For some of us, having your house back can be liberating, freeing, exciting; for others, having an empty house can be just that, empty! What we can do to make that sense of loss feel less overwhelming is to see it from a positive perspective - you did it! You raised little people to become self-sufficient big people or what is otherwise known as adults!

Now I know adulting is scary at the best of times and we have a whole new set of fears for our adult children, can they afford their rent and expenses, what if they lose their jobs, what if they don't get enough home-cooked meals (they'll come knocking if the stomach is empty, have no doubt), what if they're lonely (that's our fear, not theirs, they are just fine, believe me, lol), etc., etc., the list of "what ifs" is long, but, again, be confident that your kids will figure it out! Remember, you raised them to become sensible, reliable, and responsible, so be reassured that you did your job, now let them start adulting and you start enjoying your now clutter-free, food abundant, quiet house and just prepare for their next visit with a good home-cooked meal and adult conversation with your "kids" and pat yourself on the back that you did a good job!

#emptynest #adulting #reclaimingspace