Empty Nest Syndrome is the psychological problem many parents go through when their child leaves home for good, whether it be for college or marriage. The ones most afflicted are mothers because they play such an active role in the upbringing of their kids. With the Empty Nest Syndrome (ENS), Moms can get depressed and swamped with feelings of loneliness. Statistics show women are normally entering their menopause years when the kids move out. This contributes to their already emotional state of being and amps up the depression. The woman that experience it the worst are stay at home moms who have nothing to do with their time now that their “jobs” are gone.
Recently, there have been a new group of young adults labeled “Boomerang kids” because they returned home to live. The age ranges between mid-twenties to mid-thirties and the reasons vary from low income to recent divorce. Sometimes, this can be detrimental to the child as it allows them to let go of responsibility and stunts their maturity level. Not all children return home to stay forever. Mostly they are choosing to save money until they can afford a place of their own.
A way to overcome ENS is to stay involved in other activities. Volunteer at the local hospital, start playing tennis, or get a creative hobby. Interact with other people to maintain a social life. This is also a great time to build a closer relationship to the spouse. A small percentage of divorces happen after children move out. Married couples have to take stock of their relationship and see if they are still in love and able to be together without their kids as buffers. It’s easy to forget about connecting with a partner between working full time, taking care of the kids, and making sure there’s food on the table. When the children leave, this is the time to see if the spark is still alive. Go out to dinner and a movie or participate in fun activities together.
This time can be a chance for both kids and parents to grow.