One day, all parents become empty nesters. Whether it’s when the kids leave for college, work, marriage, or other pursuits. The empty nest is a strange time of adjustment. We go from having a house full of kids who are coming and going, eating, sleeping, talking, driving, socializing, arguing, and generally driving us crazy to a house that is just the two of us with all those demands gone. A weird amount of space and time suddenly available. What do we do about it? Do we mourn the fact that the noise and action have departed and wait for the occasional visits? Do we look at each other and wonder who we are and how we got here? Or do we stop and appreciate all that is returning to us and start building afresh on that foundation?
Though it takes some adjusting, patience, and creativity, being an empty nester can be an exciting and rejuvenating time. Many parents look towards the empty nest with some apprehension, but there is so much to enjoy about this new phase in your life. In this blog, we will discuss some great benefits to becoming an empty nester. Sit back and enjoy as you read more.
1. Focus on Partner
When your children were living with you, your attention may have been divided. You probably did not give your 100% time to your spouse because you were too busy pampering your child. The best part of becoming an empty nester is that you become “free”. You become free in time and free from responsibilities. Due to this, your focus becomes more attentive towards your spouse. You are able to spend more time with your partner, never like you did when your kids were living with you. This is a great benefit of becoming an empty nester. Enjoy it! Think of it as yourself as a newly wedded couple.
2. Your House is Clean
This may sound pretty mean, but yes, your house is much cleaner when your kids leave the house. Your house is empty, but guess what, it is much cleaner too! When they fly away from the nest, you no longer have to hurdle behind them, making sure they pick up after themselves. Now, they are on their own and have their own responsibilities. You, as a mommy or daddy, do not need to worry about cooking breakfast, lunch, or dinner based on your child. Furthermore, your cleaning responsibilities will significantly reduce by 50 percent! This means that you are better able to focus on other things besides house responsibilities. Isn’t that great? Wohoo!
3. Sleep Peacefully
Hmm. What happens to your psychological well-being when your child leaves? Guess what? You no longer have to wait for the sound of a key in the door or the porch light to be turned off upon your children’s safe return from another night out. No longer are you part of the day-to-day ups and downs of your children’s lives. No matter how often they may text/call/email/facebook message/tweet you. Their mental and physical well-being, though still hugely important to you, are their responsibilities now. You no longer have the minutiae of their daily lives to think about like you did when they lived at home. This really reduces your levels of stress and anxiety and you are able to focus more on yourself. Your levels of stress have significantly reduced and you are free from your worries. Cherish it!
4. Grocery Shopping
Have you ever thought about how much grocery shopping you had to do? Did you have to ask your child, “Hey what do you want me to buy from the grocery store? Why are you not eating what I cooked today? Why didn’t you finish your dinner?” Once your child leaves you as an empty nester, you no longer have to worry about buying grocery according to their preferences. You are able to cook less or may not as often as you used to. Isn’t this amazing? You and your spouse can go out for dinner without worrying about taking your child along with you. Now, when you go out to a restaurant for dinner, your bill will be less and you do not have to worry about feeling obligated to take your child out too. Your list for grocery will significantly decrease and you will not have to worry about feeding your child! Wohoo, again!
5. Spending Time with Others
Before, when your child was living with you, you had to compromise the time you gave to other relationships. Were you less involved in your parents’ lives? Were you less involved in our friends’ lives? Well, it’s never too late to rekindle those relationships. You are a free bird now and are able to connect with whoever you want. You no longer have to build your relationship based on your children. Nor do you have to socialize with other parents because of your children’s connections. No more school meetings or games to watch your kids. You no longer have to sit down with their friends’ parents to discuss academic or parenting concerns. Now, you can go out with your friends to movies, to dinners, and even vacations!
6. Grandbabies
Nothing beats grandbabies! The nest might be empty, but those grown and flown children are building nests of their own. Part of that whole process means starting their own families and producing lovely little people who we are related to, love beyond measure, and get to share special moments with. There is a completely different feeling with grandchildren than there is when you were a parent with your own kids. You get the joys without the responsibilities. You get to have baby snuggles, baby giggles, and playtime, a nappy change or two, but then you leave them in the care of their parents and go home with a smile. Bliss!
Is your home feeling lonely?