BIG HUGS TO YOU. I am with you on this one. I'm a single mom, my son's met his first real girlfriend (he's 26) and has moved in with her; she has 5 children.

He's picked on me for a while...I've given him all the freedom he needs; he's never known the word "restriction." He's been away a week...he feels like a stranger and the house feels EMPTY and I feel a FAILURE as a mum. x

Not many men would take on 5 children, I don't see that as a failure.

Oh, I certainly understand your feelings!!I have had an empty nest for about 7 or 8 years now and don't think I will EVER adjust. I MISS being the center of their lives. My kids are married and busy with their lives and I feel forgotten and alone. My marriage sucks and I feel ALONE. I try to keep busy but fight depression because of my loneliness. One son lives in town but they do more with her family. DIL's family is wealthy and they pay for going out to eat, trips, etc. We are "never good enough." Son enjoys all the freebies and we just can not compete. DIL criticizes anything I do feel like I lost my son to the other family. So hard to find any happiness anymore.

Exactly. This is really tough. Really really tough. :(

I understand the family paying for things. That has been me. Now we have a decrease in income and I don't know if my kids will still come around. It isn't any better when you feel like you are buying their love. You wonder if they care about you at all even when they are right there next to you.

I am a single Mom, too. I often wish that one of my neighbours or friends was also a divorced single Mom. All my friends seem to be married.

my 3 sons are gone too
i dont have friends around here just work and come home to my dog
im trying to make new friends by going to meetups fiding them on meetups.com