Empty Nests Support Group
Empty nest syndrome is a general feeling of depression and loneliness that parents/other guardian relatives feel when one or more of their children leave home. Empty nest syndrome has become more prevalent in modern times, as the extended family is becoming less common than in past generations, and the elderly are left living by themselves.
I find myself going from sad to angry as an empty nester. Sad initially as my youngest daughters went off to college this month - one stayed in state and the other 13 hours away in another state. Sad that my recently graduated son now home will eventually move to the next state over to be with his girlfriend and her family. This week my son applied for a job near his girlfriend and has an interview scheduled. That's when the anger set in. I'm angry that he would move far away from his family to be with another. Angry that he doesn't feel close to his family that he would want to live near us. Now I'm starting to feel the same toward my daughter who chose to attend college so far away. As we moved her in we listened to the parents of her roommate about how close they live to the college and how they can be up there all the time. Not me. Too far away. Now I'm angry that my daughter chose to go so far away and all that I will miss with her because of that distance. Again I'm angry that she doesn't feel the closeness to her family that she would want to attend college closer so we could share with her more of her experience. I feel abandoned and that has me angry.
I am the eldest in my family and when I go to college I also left my parents. I have a healthy relationship with my family and staying in the dormitory brought us separation anxiety. I’m thinking that if my mother overcame, I will also overcome. I know it’s going to be a big adjustment for me but I’m praying that it’s just for a little while. I will soon be OK with God’s help.
I'm praying for you for God’s peace and you will feel better soon. I hope to hear from you again. Take care and God bless.
My first day home and alone in our house went ok. I kept busy and found reasons to get out of the house. It's the down times like now (early morning) when I hear the silence and feel the lonilness. I wish for times that have passed knowing they are gone. I plan for the future, but those plans right now are to keep my mind busy. Hopefully this will pass too with time.