Cinnamonhuskies:

I don't think it will stop the worrying about him.

Their moving out does not stop the worry. We will always worry. We are mothers, it's what we do.

Brandy:

 We will always worry. We are mothers, it's what we do.

 

That would be great on a TShirt or a bumper sticker!

I am in the 'empty nest' right now.  Ds is 21 and in the military, and I'm fairly used to him being gone.  Dd just left for college 2 weeks ago.  We were looking forward to her going, for many reasons.  She was ready to move on and just the constant trying to keep her in line was tireing. I question if we did the right things in raising our kids. Since Dd is gone, it hasn't been as easy for me as I thought.  It is very quiet, and I feel kind of empty.  My life has been about being a mom in all the ways we all know.  This is a transition and I'm going with it.  Dh and I are looking forward traveling, and theres things I want to do.  I think if my kids were more responsible for their own lives, this would be a great time!

 I hear that lots!   Payback Martha! from my mom or you guys weren't any different :) 

I don't think my mom has stop worrying about us except for the last couple of years and that is because there are grandkids to play with instead!  and I am 44.

My dd says that she is never marrying or moving out   so I said great then you can look after the house when dh and I are traveling!    Actually I don't mind kids living at home as long as there rent and respect. 

My brother lives at home (has a small ownership in the house) and it helps my mom financially plus he can do whatever he likes with in reason but there is no drinking, girls over etc.  He goes to his girlfriends. He has moved out in the past.

 When the first two started to leave the nest, we had three more. Older you are the easier it is to kick them of the nest. Babs

For us, the economic crisis of DH getting laid off totally overshadowed the empty nest.  We were in an apt when the last one left for college.  Mid-year, we bought a home & began to move things in.  The youngest two dd's are still single, but one is in med school & VERY seldom home.  The other comes home a couple of times a year, but she is taking classes & has a job, so she is pretty busy.  

As a result of the layoff, I went back to work.  Took a year & a half off when we moved to find a house, but then needed to work if we are ever going to be able to retire, so work filled up any extra time I had.  Now I just try to keep up with what needs done. Trying to save enough for retirement (& hopefully future weddings). Some days it gets depressing, but I do have 4 grandchildren, & when life is looking pretty black, I head over to the Uintah Basin & spend a few hours with the grandkids. Works every time, but sometimes work gets in the way of my "therapy"!!

Grandkids are a great cure for an empty nest: all of the fun without all of the responsibility.

For years we've been empty-nesters, but we planned for decades. First, we told ourselves that our children would owe us nothing but love. Their lives would be theirs to live as adults, who will never doubt our love.

 Children are born to leave us. We left our parents, after all. We enjoy being a family but do not control their lives. We ask what they wish to do, and we consult each other to decide.

We started as a home of two members and are again a two-member family. We were happy then, and we are happy now.

At first it was strange.  It was so quiet...something both of us were not used to (meals especially)...but, eventually we got to like it, a lot!  We became closer and started doing more things together.  We got to see friends more often, and made new ones, too.

Even though our children no longer live home, they are still very much a part of our lives.  We speak very often.  Their joys become our joys. Their trials affect us, too.  This in turn, gives my husband and me more to talk about.

We have grandchildren, who enrich our time.

You will see...you won't loose your children or become bored, being with just your husband.  You will have time to pursue your interests, exercise, etc. 

Letting your kids go and having an empty nest is another, wonderful stage in life ...and you will probably just love it! 

That's very encouraging!

Dh and I discovered that after the kids are gone we want to travel and go camping by ourselves...so we can visit where we want and sightsee what we want. I am looking forward to that! He has promised to go fishing with me.....I've waited all my married life for that and it hasn't happened yet! I have always been the one to takes the boys fishing. I have wonderful memories even as a young adult of going fishing with my dad. That stopped when I married and it always bugged me. Dh is an avid hunter, but not much of a fisherman. I guess it will be my chance to change that! However, i don't know if I'd be much of a hunter gal....

I just hope we can afford to travel when the kids are gone!

Cinnamonhuskies,

I understand completely my ds is a senior in hs and my dd is a freshman.  I know I may have 4 - 5 years left with my kids and it makes me very sad.  I have often cried over it to be truthful.  At least you have a husband to do things with, I will be alone and that makes it even worse.  I am looking forward to having my money to myself and I want to travel alot, it just wont be the same without having them here.