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.
Hi. My name is Michele. I'm new to the group. My only is graduating high school in two weeks and leaving for college in August. I'm so proud of her and so happy for her ... while at the same time, feel like a piece of my soul is dying. No one around me seems to understand. I feel like crying all the time and dread the day she leaves. I feel like I'm crazy for feeling this way, but we are so much more than mother and daughter. She is my best friend. She has seen me at my worst and loves me anyway. I don't have a very good marriage and I am wondering how in the world I'm going to get through this. Although I am married, my husband has always worked in the afternoons/evenings, and so I very much feel like a single mother in that it's usually just her and I doing things together, dealing with school together, running errands together, eating dinner together, watching our favorite shows together. The thought of sitting in this house alone with all of our memories and doing all of these things alone is just overwhelming me. I feel like no one understands how much I am hurting inside. I try to joke about it, but inside the pain is very real. I remember when she was born feeling much the same way. Stressed out and overwhelmed, and wishing for my "old" life back. But in time, a "new" normal way of life took shape and I loved it! Most of the time. :) And now my life is changing again, and I just wish that I could hold on to this normal a little longer. I think of all the things that I wish I could do over and do differently. I don't know how to feel happy about this. :(
I am Deanna. I had my daughter via artificial insemination. I have raised her alone for the best 18 years of my life. Now, I took her to college Friday and arrived back home today. I can't stop crying (sobbing really). Like you and you daughter, Jackie is my whole life. She is my daughter, my best friend, and my favorite person in the world. I feel like I am dying too. I have read up on things to do to deal with it on many, many websites, but it seems insurmountable right now. I know exactly what you mean. It feels as if my heart is breaking. We live in a very small town and we did everything together. We traveled, played games including Pokemon Go, watched all our favorite shows, and went to concerts and theater together. I was 1000 percent involved in her life. I never missed a practice, concert, performance, induction, you name it. I am 58 and have nothing and no one in my life but her. She is really my only family and friend. Please know you are not alone in this. There are others feeling exactly like you do right now. Stay strong.
Start small, set one goal a week and see what happens. I've even looked into hosting a foreign exchange student for next year, Our relationships with our kids are always gonna go through changes, but if we are trying to live our best life, than we can roll with the changes and help them live their best lives too.