Do You Have a Full Nest?
That's me having fun with my adult kids!
Does that make sense to you, a full nest? For modern midlife women, as our kids grow and leave home (nest) we face many different emotions. And this is perfectly normal. Most people refer to this season of life as the empty nest syndrome. By now you know I’m not like most people, always a rebel at heart. I like to call it the full nest. Empty nest has such a negative meaning that I decided to call mine the full nest. I know how hard it is to let our kids fly out of the nest…it can mean that we are not needed as much…and that can be tough to deal with.
My kids are grown now, 32 and 29. It’s been about a year and a half, that our last one moved out of the house. Can we say woohoo?!!?? Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids, but it was time for both of them to be on their own. I was ready to move on and make some changes. Oh, I almost forgot, we have a 7 year old grandson…that helps to keep our nest very full and active.
I found this article, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center while looking for ways to cope with the empty nest syndrome. The article talks about 3 things to help you transition to your full nest.
- Reconnect with your spouse…yall this is SO important. Most of the time we were just going through the day to day stuff raising our kids, and sometimes the relationship with our spouses just got put on the back burner…it was life. How exciting to be able to reconnect and get back to doing the things you loved to do as a couple. Have fun dating all over again. Yeehaw!
- Use your support system…that could be friends, extended family, church or community friends. Sage Sister, now you have time for your girlfriends! Ya know they were just as busy raising their kids. Now you can get together for lunch and stay as late as you want. Or what about meeting a friend for coffee and stay all day talking and catching up (I’ve done this…got to the coffee shop at 8 and didn’t leave till after 1…just talking). You now have the FREEDOM to do this! Shopping heck yeah!
- Make a “passion” list…hmmm, what have you been wanting to do, but never seemed to have the time? I’m talking traveling, hobbies, or a new career. Now is the time for that bucket list of things you always wanted to do. Find things that are of interest to you and just do them.
For me, I thought getting a puppy when my last one graduated from high school would help to keep my nest full…and boy did it, maybe a little too much. I’ve also rearranged the kids rooms. I kept a bed in the smaller one, so my grandson could come stay the night. The other room, we made into a man cave/work out room. Funny right now, it’s heavy on the man cave. And that’s ok. I’ve done so much more that I want to share, at a later date.
This is our season of life…to pamper ourselves any way we want. Trust me, it’s not being selfish. I know you have spent the past 2 decades carrying for others. Sage Sister it’s YOUR time now. Let’s do this!
I'd love to know how you have handled your full nest? What have you done, or what are you doing?