Coping with Empty Nest Syndrome; Giving Kids Space to Grow and Flourish

Kids heading off to school is an emotional rollercoaster for parents as they will feel emotional seeing their kids depart, albeit temporarily.

Being a parent will bring a person through emotional ups and downs, from hearing their first word to bidding them farewell on the first day of school.

The one event that the majority of parents struggle with is when their children leave home.

According to Better Up, the Empty Nest Syndrome is the grief that most parents go through when their children move out of the home. It is not a clinical diagnosis but a usual phenomenon in which parents experience loneliness and sadness as they grieve the loss of a routine or lifestyle and relationship that became part of their identities.

Empty Nest Syndrome

Nest refers to the popular saying that kids spread their wings when they grow up and move on.

Empty Nest Syndrome usually happens when the end of the high school or college season draws near as parents have mixed feelings of excitement, relief, anxiety, and sadness.

Parents must take these moments as an opportunity to reidentify who they truly are and make the most of that newfound time. They can travel, volunteer, pursue a passion, change careers, or learn new roles, per Yahoo News.

Vered DeLeeuw, a former attorney with a master's degree from Tel Aviv University, is a two-time empty nester with her two daughters in college. She said that having the time to reconnect with her husband was freeing, and she can now go on business trips with her husband, which she had been missing out on due to her responsibilities at home.

"You lose part of yourself when a child moves out," she added.

Trust as the foundation

College is a rite of passage for the whole family and not just your kid; thus, parents must not beat themselves up or think of it as abnormal. They should give themselves enough time to get used to the new normal and learn to embrace the next chapter ahead gradually.

Parents can make themselves busy by making a plan as the empty nest syndrome could affect both mothers and fathers. They should do something that will divert their attention. Many couples treat this as a great period for their marriage.

According to Pehal News, parents must assume that their child is ready and prepared so as not to stress them when they find out that parents are holding on to them because they are worried, not to mention that it is natural for parents to feel concerned given their instinctive caregiving role. Trust must be the foundation of the parent-child relationship.

All stages of parenting include coping, thus dealing with the empty nest syndrome. No stage of parenting is without challenges, and parents should allow their children to grow and flourish while also allowing themselves to do the same by taking off the full-time parent hat.

Parents might miss the shared moments, but they must embrace this new relationship with their child and realize that having a grown-up kid is also amazing and their bond stronger, per College Covered.