Empty nest syndrome is not a clinical diagnosis. Instead, empty nest syndrome is a phenomenon in which parents experience feelings of sadness and loss when the last child leaves home. Empty nest syndrome usually happens in female parents aged between 40-50. When their children have to leave home e.g. for continuing their study in the college or university, parents have to stay home alone without routine activities with their children. Although parents might actively encourage their children to become independent, the experience of letting go can be painful. Parents might find it difficult to suddenly have no children at home who need their care. Parents might miss being a part of their children’s daily lives as well as the constant companionship. These changes might develop stress, anxiety and depression. It might eventually induce suicidal thought of the parents.
With reference to Kübler-Ross, Swiss-American psychiatrist, Grieving Process consists of 5 stages:
- Denial and rejection;
- Anger and acting against what had happened;
- Bargaining for keeping the hopes;
- Depression and grief; and
- Acceptance of the loss.
If parents experience feelings of loss due to empty nest syndrome, advices that might help parents adapt to this major life change include accepting the timing, keeping in touch with children, seeking support if necessary and staying positive.
If the last child is about to leave home and parents are worried about empty nest syndrome, it is highly recommended to look for new opportunities in personal and professional life. Changing focus from taking care of children in the last 2-30 years, it is more beneficial to look after parent’s own health. Keeping busy or taking on new challenges at work or at home can help ease the sense of loss as well.
TIPS IN DEALING WITH THIS IN YOUR LIFE:
1 Time management tools can help you manage your time.
2 Space time out for a verse of the day, things you’re praying about, truths to remember, and even what to let go.
3 Make a Planner from daily to weekly to monthly in what you will be doing.
4 Like I say so many times as a RN, not to far from 40 years in this career, TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME!
5 Remember anyone can start strong but the your goal should be “finish strong”. Example, How many times have we said we would loose weight and started strong but ended weak loosing nothing putting the white flag up and restarting later all over again and it was just a broken record finishing with no results? I have, but ending strong with starting strong is much better in results making you a more confident, stronger and happier as a person.
6 What ever your dreams are in wanting to accomplish but couldn’t with the kids at home due to busy now you can try to reach your goals you wanted to strive for. Ex. Retired now, the kids left the nest, less to do at the house now but you took a degree in art years ago, have been an artist at times in your working life but had to put it on hold since you had work elsewhere to do in paying the bills but not you can now do art work. Just make sure that they are reachable goals and not impossible to reach in art work now. So you don’t set your self up for failure. You need to approach that before starting that new life goal.
Remember everything comes to an end, some things sooner than others of course, but it does not mean life is over!