Becoming an empty nester
As the school year is winding down, it makes me think of all of those fun Senior year activities, prom, graduation, etc. As this is exciting for the graduating senior, this is a bitter sweet moment for parents. Parents are usually excited for their now adult child, but this is also a scary, new adventure, that though parents plan for, they often times don’t feel ready for. The dreaded “Empty nest.” What are you going to do, now that you don’t have baseball games, school programs to chaperone, or late night arguing with your teenager (Just a guess)? Don't panic. You'll be fine! Remember that there's always local counseling near me that you can seek out for guidance and support during this transition.
Grieve it
I really do feel like every blog post recently has to do with change/grief. You don’t realize how much of life revolves around grieving. Your baby leaving the house and going off to college/a place of their own is a huge loss! I don’t say that to make you cry as you’re reading this, I say it, because it’s ok to be sad/excited/anxious/scared all at the same time. You’re grieving your role as a parent. Don’t get me wrong, your role as a parent never ends, but it changes at this point. You’re parenting an adult, even if your child isn’t quite self-sufficient.
Get to know yourself again
I talk with a lot of parents, who feel their identity is being a mom or dad. This is really common, and can make being an empty nester feel like you have lost your identity and you don’t know who you are. Take this time to get to know yourself again. You’ll probably find that you have a lot more free time. So, pick up that book you’ve always wanted to read. Take up gardening. Join a group at church. Keep yourself busy with things you like to do.
Date your partner again
You’re going to have a lot more alone time with your significant other. This doesn’t have to be scary! It’s completely normal to feel a little disconnected. Your roles have been mom and dad. Take this time to get back to husband and wife. For some people this will be a smooth transition, as your relationship has been your number one priority. Great! Skip this part. But, if you’re like a lot of people, the hustle and bustle of life, work, and parenthood, means that sometimes relationships don’t get nurtured like you would hope. Don’t give up! Just because things seem disconnected, doesn’t mean it’s lost. Date again. Become friends again. Learn about each other again. A lot can change in 18 plus years! Get excited about learning about your spouse. Don’t look at it like you don’t know the person you married anymore. Look at it as an opportunity to learn more.
Remember that this isn’t the end of the chapter/book/journey. This is just the next step.
“Parenting is as crazy as circumnavigating the globe without a map…but, oh, what a journey!”
-Unknown
Reach out to one of our therapists at Pineapple Counseling in Flower Mound, TX or Southlake, TX today!
