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May is quickly approaching and that means high school graduations are near and there will be plenty of parents who will become empty nesters for the very first time. That can be very scary, lonely, and down right nerve racking to know that you soon may not have input on their kids lives on a daily basis. Plus, after you’ve dedicated a great portion of your life raising a child it’s hard to know how to get back to you. Here are a few tips to help you cope with being an empty nester.
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According to Verywellfamily.com, fortunately, there are some things you can do to address empty nest syndrome, here a few strategies to help you cope.
- Identify Your Roles-Identify new roles you want to fill during this empty nest phase of your life. Do you want to be a volunteer? A generous neighbor? An involved community member?Now that you have more time on your hands, you have opportunities to explore other activities that can give you meaning and purpose. Clarifying the roles you’d like to fill now that you’re an empty nester can ensure you feel valuable.
- Reconnect With Your Partner– Remember those years before you had kids, though, when it was just the two of you? It’s time to make more memories as a twosome. Take time to travel without worrying about who’s going to stay with the kids. Plan date nights without thinking about a babysitter and cook whatever meals you want without considering if a picky eater is going to complain about it.
- Reconnect With Yourself-Did you have any hobbies that you slowly gave up as parenting took over your life? An empty nest means that you have space and time to get back in touch with that side of you, whether it’s painting, creating music or cooking. With all your kids’ stuff gone, there is now plenty of space to store the supplies that you need to immerse yourself in the activities that you love. Think about how you want to spend your time.
- Find New Challenges-Ease the sense of loss that you might feel about your child growing up by finding a new personal or professional challenge to tackle. Whether you’ve dreamed of running a road race or you always wanted to redesign a room in your home, now might be the best time to dive in. You might even take on something even bigger, such as volunteering with a children’s charity, which can help you find a place to direct your parenting focus.
- Resist the Urge to Check-In Too Much– If you obsessively monitor your child’s social media accounts, call every morning, and spend your time worrying about how your child is doing in college or in his new place, you won’t be able to move on with your life. Coping with empty nest syndrome means beginning the process of letting go and letting your child grow into an independent adult.
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