7 Keys To Face The Empty Nest Syndrome

Children are a source of satisfaction as well as concern, and when they leave home, parents can suffer from the so-called empty nest syndrome.  The empty nest syndrome refers to a combination of feelings of loneliness, sadness and melancholy that are mixed with the feeling of abandonment and loss of identity.

The specific circumstances that characterize the empty nest syndrome vary from family to family, as do the feelings parents experience when their children leave home.

We must bear in mind that this feeling does not necessarily appear in all couples in the absence of children and, when it occurs, it can occur in different degrees. If there is a solid foundation in the relationship and the complicity and emotional bond are maintained, it is more difficult for this feeling of dissatisfaction and abandonment to appear.

On the other hand, if the presence of the children is one of the main reasons for the couple to stay together, it is likely that the empty nest syndrome is manifested.  Furthermore, this fact is coupled with concern for their safety when they leave home and whether they will be able to take good care of themselves. However, this situation can cause stress and even depression in parents.

Not all experts agree on talking about a disorder and some even deny the existence of this syndrome as such, but what is evident is that it represents a vital change for both parents and children.

Now that the children have left the parental home. Parents must understand the new situation, accept it and strive to cope with it as well as possible.

It is time to strengthen the relationship

When the children are at home, the couple is often left to one side. This is a good time to strengthen the relationship, return to intimate moments, and seek common leisure activities.

Staying active through physical exercise

It is never too late to start playing sports and avoid being sedentary. Strength, flexibility and balance are the three main pillars that we must work on to stay active and age healthy. In this way, it will be easier to relax and also, we will take care of our health.

Respect the autonomy of the children

You have to accept that your children have grown up and no longer depend on their parents to make decisions. Learning to establish an adult relationship with them can be very satisfying for both parties.

Enjoy the free time

Those activities that could not be carried out for the education of the children can be resumed. Taking advantage of this moment is very rewarding to do what we like; On many occasions, the occupations, the care of the family and the daily demands do not leave us time to do those things that we really like and are pleasant to us.

Now may be the perfect time to resume those occupations that we love so much and dedicate time to ourselves. This will help keep your mind occupied by preventing feelings of loneliness and sadness from surfacing so easily.

Spend more time on social life

Retirement and the departure of children can lead to a lonely life and in many cases cause social isolation. Staying active, joining courses or workshops, belonging to an association or going to a meeting center, provides well-being, improves self-esteem and helps to age with health.

Keep a positive attitude

It is normal that when considering life without the children at home, sadness invades us, but instead of focusing on it in a negative way, we will try to look for the positive points and think that it is a decision made by them, with which they will be fine for what we must rejoice.

The role of parenting continues

The fact that the children leave home and are totally independent does not mean that we are going to lose contact with them or that we stop exercising the role of parents. In this new stage we can look for ways to satisfy the needs of the children in their new life and maintain continuous contact that allows us to feel close to them.

A large part of the young population suffers from job insecurity or directly from a lack of work. The trend is not encouraging at all. With an increasingly elderly population and an economic situation that mainly affects people in their 30s, the approach to becoming independent is increasingly complicated.

The aging of the population is a clear reality. This situation means that many elderly young people cannot leave the family home, so the empty nest syndrome is negatively fed.

The tranquility of having children at home, the lack of work and the comfort of home, leads many parents to think that their offspring will always be with them, therefore, they are not prepared to face this situation when finally it is produced.