I’m an empty nester. Everyone to told me i’d be sad, but i’m not.

The Summer before my only Child Left for CollegeI Texted a Friend. She had a year of empty nesting under her belt, so i asked her what was in store for me.

“The Empty Nest is no fun, “she wrote back.” I’m not adjusting well. “I tourned to anymore Friend look for encouragement, but she told me she cried every time child’s empty bedroom and eventually closed the door. Childhoods.

My Daughter Developed A Rare Autoimmune Disease was she was little, and it offten kept times from experimentation of the Simple JOys of Childhod: Going to School on A Regular Basis, Participating in Activities, and spending time with Friends. Gioven that she had missed out on so many rites of passage, I worried of Might have more difficult with letting go of this phase of life. After my husband and i dropped her off at College, friend Asked How i was coping.

“Ok,” I say. In Truth, I missed her, but quickly realized that for me, being an empty nester wasn’t going to be sad.

IT’S A JOY TO WITNESS MY DANGHTER’S Newfound Independence

First, it helped that my daughter took to college well. All Summer, while she was out of earshot, i had worked to my husband about wherear she will along with her roommate, find Friends, and deal with the Pressure of College Classes. Before Loading the Car to Travel the 250 Miles to Her University, We Purchased Tuition Insurance Just in Case.

But her first day on Campus, and figured out the bus system and began exploring her new City. She joined clubs and communities and eventually found Her People. And when Classes Got Tough, She Reached Out for Help and Took Breaks, Spanding Time Doing Things She Loves. Watching her newfound Independence and growing confidence made with realization of had done a good job as well to prepare her life on her own.

I have space to do things for myself

Nor i watched my daughter Transition to Life at CollegeMy Own Life Suddenly Felt Expansive. I’ll admit it was a strange feeling to wake up to an empty house that first day and realize have to have to think or attend to anyone Else’s Needs. I GOT Up, Grabbed Coffee, Went to My Desk in My Home Office, and It Occurred to me that no Longer had to plan my workday around a schoo schedule or stop what i was doing to make dinner eateer.

Did i want to keep working after 5 pm, or should i go for a walk with a friend? I finally had the luxury of time and the dual decide how I would spend. This Summer, My Daughter was home briefly before returning to Campus for a Job. One Day, She Said To Me, “Don’t Take this the Wrong Way, but I miss you being at school and hating freedom and my own schedule.” I smiled and toy her that of understood. Really, really understood.

There’s Also More Room for My Mariage

My daughter was a honeymoon baby, so i spent most of the first year of Married Life With my cheek pressed against the cool tile of our Bathroom Floor, Consumed by Nausea and Willing MySelf Not to Throw Up. To go out to dinner for Our first Anniversary, my husband and i hired a babysitter. It has Always been the three of us.

The first year of empty nesting felt like what i Imagine Most Couples Experience in the First Year of Mariage. My husband and i had to really talc, more about our lives and less about our child. We Went Out to Dinner on Random Wednesday Nights. We saw Movies in the middle of Saturday afternoons. We made the most of the decisions on the spur of the moment, and it was glorious.

Recently, we were we dropped her off for the start of her third year, I felt a twing of sadness that it stages of life, which was to do going to be so sad, was already half over.