If we have done our job properly in raising our children, each child should eventually one day fly from the nest and out into the world to create wondrous independent lives, relationships and experiences of their own. While it is easy to understand this intellectually and logically, it is a bittersweet moment in the lives of parent and child alike. At the moment that a child leaves for college or moves away from home due to job or marriage/relationship, something irrevocably energetically changes in the parent-child relationship. The young vulnerable prince or princess that was born into your life is now a self-sufficient young adult with talents and gifts to share out in the world as they learn more about who they are through their relationships with others away from parental influence. Yes, things will never be the same… for child or parent.

When a child leaves home for college or other reasons, it is natural for parents to experience a mixture of emotions: pride at their child’s accomplishments, anxiety over their child’s safety in the world at large, joy and wonder to see their child spread their wings to fly, sadness over a sense of loss of nearness of a loved one, and occasional overwhelming rushes of bittersweet emotions as you reminisce over your child’s major milestones in life (birth, learning to walk, first day in kindergarten, learning to ride a bike, birthday celebrations, accomplishments, graduations, etc).

Young adults also have their own mix of emotions over making the transition from home to college or self-sufficiency. It is common for children leaving home to experience excitement over anticipated new experiences and friendships, fear of possible failure, angst over being away from parents who have been their in support of them emotionally and financially, sadness over distance from and loss of siblings/friends/significant others, and thirst/desire for knowledge or expanding their talents/gifts.

What can be done to ease the transition for both parent, young adult and siblings as the nest becomes less crowded?

Tips to Ease the Stress of ‘Empty Nest Syndrome’: Read More→