Parenthood. It is a milestone that is as difficult as it is fulfilling. In a way, it’s a contract that stipulates doing your best to raise your kids properly for a minimum of eighteen years, as a means of ensuring they grow up to be fine adults.
During your lowest moments as a parent, you may have had thoughts like “I can’t wait for them to grow up” or “oh, to finally have them out of the house”. These have become your reality, and it’s possible that you think it isn’t all people make it out to be. You may find yourselves wishing your children back, younger and still in need of you.
Don’t worry, it’ll pass. Here are some of the best tips to help you cope with Empty Nest Syndrome.
Remodel Your Home
Your real estate in Whittlesea, Victoria may feel emptier, with only you and your spouse (or just you!) left in the house now that the kids have gone. It doesn’t have to remain in such a state, though. If you leave it be like that, it’s possible for negative feelings to continue to fester.
Instead, consider seizing this opportunity to mould your current home into the one that you (and your spouse) have always dreamed of. You likely have more time in your hands now that there’s no child-rearing left to be done. Plus, there are fewer things to worry about finances.
Perhaps you’ve always wanted a space for your craft, a quiet reading room, or maybe even a home theater. You can take your pick from the empty bedrooms in the house and either employ the aid of a professional or do the renovations yourself.
If you find yourself hesitating, remember that you don’t need to replace every bedroom that was once occupied by your kids. Guest bedrooms are also a popular choice to convert spare rooms into. You can make it as comfortable as you like, with a few accents that your children enjoy to make their visits more homey and wholesome.
Explore Other Roles
The negativity that has become part and parcel of empty nest syndrome partially stems from the “loss of identity” upon the kids moving out. Individuals who have dedicated their all into raising their kids may believe there’s nothing left now that they’re grown, but that’s taking away the idea that before one becomes a parent, you were another person first.
Daughter or son, friend, colleague, spouse — these are some of the roles that you can reacquaint yourself with now that the chicks are out of the nest.
Perhaps you had gotten too busy minding your kids’ growth that you slowly pulled away from your friendships. Now is the perfect time to pick up the phone and catch up with your friends from work, college, or even high school. Do you feel that the flame of passion has died down? Then take the initiative and ignite it again.
Taking the time to explore these roles once more gives empty-nesters the opportunity to ignore the despondent feelings as they take tiny steps into moving on from parenthood.
Pick Up New Hobbies
Just like your roles, you had things you enjoyed doing in your spare time before becoming a parent. It may even be a thriving career before you made the sacrifice to raise your kids full time. Painting, sewing, playing video games, maybe even traveling — all these and more you can spend your time doing. As for the job aspect, you can slowly build yourself up again. It’s never too late to take up a home-based job first, before diving into potential careers again.
Post-parenthood gives you all the time in the world. While you’re out revisiting some of your roles, pick up old and new hobbies as well. This moment in your life is all about you, and the compromises that you had made for your kids before can now be taken back.
