One survey found that it takes parents an average of three months to get used to an empty house. ‘A few months’ may be anything from two months to a whole year. Typically, parents will experience the symptoms of empty nest syndrome for a few months. It may only last a few weeks for some, while it may persist for years for others. How long does empty nest syndrome last?Įvery parent will have a different experience of empty nest syndrome. There is a deep sense of grief and sadness that comes with learning to love them from a distance. Depressionįor the most part, a parent will spend around 18 years looking after and living with their child. It’s normal for your imagination to run wild and catastrophize minor troubles.
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Nonetheless, you may feel like you are wading through a fast-flowing river of worry and anxiety. Hopefully, you trust your child and have faith in your ability to raise a capable individual. You may feel tempted to check up on them every hour and want to know their every move. This can feel like a great loss of control for many parents. When your child moves away, you can no longer keep tabs on them. This void, or sense of nothingness, may cause you to feel as if you are lacking in purpose. When you no longer see your kids daily, it can leave an enormous vacuum. A loss of purposeīeing a parent, particularly a stay-at-home parent, is a full-time job. This might lead you to feel emotionally exhausted. One minute you are crying at the sight of a family photograph, and the next, you are fantasizing about what to do with your newfound space and freedom. It can be isolating to wake up one morning and remember that your children are no longer living at home with you.Įmpty nest syndrome can be a rollercoaster ride. Lonelinessįollowing the departure of your beloved child, you may feel overwhelmingly alone. What are the symptoms of empty nest syndrome?Įmpty nest syndrome manifests in different ways for different people. The good news is that you are not alone in your experience of empty nest syndrome. On the other hand, you can’t help but worry over their well-being while grieving the closeness that came with living under the same roof. On the one hand, you are proud to see your child go out into the world as an independent young adult. It stirs up some mixed feelings: anxiety, excitement, relief, and sadness.
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We often hear the words ‘empty nest syndrome’ when the end of the high school or college season draws near. ‘Nest’ refers to the popular saying that children 'spread their wings’ when they grow up and move on. What is empty nest syndrome?Įmpty nest syndrome is the sadness or emotional turmoil that parents grapple with in the wake of their children growing up and moving out of their family home. Let’s look at some symptoms of empty nest syndrome and how you can healthily deal with your children leaving the nest. They grieve the loss of a lifestyle and relationship that was part of their identity.
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While it isn’t a clinical diagnosis, it is a common phenomenon in which parents experience sadness and loneliness. And that’s when their children leave home.Įmpty nest syndrome is the grief that many parents feel when their children move out of the home.
#I WORRY WHEN IM AWAY FROM MY KIDS FULL#
From hearing their first words to waving goodbye on their first day as a senior in high school, having children is full of significant life events.īut there’s one big event in family life that many parents struggle with. What are the symptoms of empty nest syndrome?Īre some parents more susceptible than others?īeing a parent sure has its ups and downs.