When people find out (or finally realize) that our nest is empty they usually have one of two responses:
1. How are you doing (handling) having an empty nest?
2. So, how is it? (What’s it like?)
To which I respond:
1. We are doing great!
2. It’s awesome!
The truth is….sometimes it feels very weird having the (quiet) house to ourselves day after day. It’s different not running to our children’s activities, school open houses, conferences, appointments, etc. in the evenings. It is also strange to sit down to dinner, just the two of us across the table from each other — which is when one of us will say: “this is just weird”. But …we are NOT complaining.
After all, we spent lots of time teaching them to tie their own shoes, fix their own sandwiches, make a bed, clean a room, drive a car, do their own laundry, wash dishes, write a check. We taught them these skills hoping that one day they would become independent, productive young adults! This was our goal.
Now that our three have left our nest (though 2 are still on the “payroll”) — we are enjoying the fruits of our teaching (so far). They can do all those things listed above — and so much more!
We are choosing to enjoy this empty nest time by focusing more on each other. We are concentrating more on our relationship and find we can talk (and…yeah) anytime without being interrupted or overheard. We are enjoying more time for ourselves — which feels good after years of investing in our children’s lives.
We love our kids. We miss them (alot) when they aren’t with us. But we are happy they are using those life skills learned as children….they wear clean clothes, aren’t starving, and their shoes are usually tied.
Empty nests are a good thing.