I know you will miss having your kids around, but I hope you can see this as a special time in your life.

As much as we love our kids, having the house to ourselves is wonderful. One of the benefits of being an empty nester is you are no longer a slave to a rigid schedule. You can be "selfish" for a change and do what you want, whenever you want.

And like others have said...you will see plenty of them. They may have left the nest, but they know where to find you :shock: ( :lol: )

One day at a time. Try to stay busy. Spend more time with friends who live close by. Maybe journal, if it helps writing your thoughts down, & you have no one to share them with, or don't want to sometimes. Like any change in our lives, it takes time to adjust, so one day at a time seems to help. Good luck, each day it will get better!....

PARTY!!!!..and then wait for them to come back home with MORE in tow....

Thank you all for the wonderful words of advise, it's nice to hear how others have managed. I was sad when the oldest moved but still had the youngest to keep me busy, so this is MUCH harder. We just got home from settling him into the dorm. My first treat to myself is NOT to cook dinner tonight. :) Thank you again

Mine came back after serving his time in the Marines, now it is like he was never gone personality clashes and all LOL, we are too much alike lol.
My other one just lives a few miles away.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry, I cannot imagine charging my children rent.
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It gives them a start in paying bills regularly and we were firm about that. But as each one left, we gave them a check for the entire sum as a "going away" present. And when they each got married we gave them a choice of a big wedding or a check for the same amount. Only one out of 5 wanted the big wedding.

Kids are all different. I have 2 sets of retired neighbors who are all supporting their adult children. One is a good friend, she has a son the same age as me living in her basement. She and her husband are raising their granddaughter, the son's child. The son doesn't do a lot with the girl. They are also caring for her elderly MIL. She is so stressed out I'm afraid she's going to have a nervous breakdown, but they refuse to do ANYTHING to give their 40-year-old child a reason to stand on his own two feet. The same goes for the other neighbor - they have 2 adult sons in their 30's who live in THEIR home. The parents moved out, the sons party all night and sleep all day. It's like living next door to a frat house. I wonder what will happen to these adult children when the parents are no longer able to support them - they'll be in their 40's and 50's and will have NO CLUE how to support themselves and live their own lives. It's very sad.

When I was 19, I lived at home while attending the local college and paid rent. I still had a curfew and was still required to abide by the house rules. At 20 I finally realized I'd have a lot more freedom if I supported myself and moved out. My parents were SMART.

I am in the same boat. My youngest heads to NY tomorrow for college. I do meet up weekly with my older son for coffee, but it is not the same. It already getting too quiet around here.

Our only daughter has graduated from college but it taking a year off before she heads off to grad school to get her PHD and do cancer research. She lives at home and is currently looking for full time work that will pay her bills while she lives with a friend in town. I understand her need to be on her own but her father thinks it is stupid for her to move when we have plently of room and we all get along great most of the time.
Her idea of keeping me from missing her was to request 18 quilts before I quit quilting.
Her Dad and I like to camp although these days it is more trailer camping. We have found a place in Ennis where we can go and have a wonderful time. During the day he can spend his time fishing and I can take my sewing machine to the clubhouse and sew. We spend time together and time apart in the same weekend and everybody is happy.