The truth is no parent is ever prepared to release their last child into the outside world even after they are of age. This encounter opens the door to a world of loneliness, emptiness, and distress. Even so, avoiding it is not possible as your children must one day leave your family home to start life on their own. 

When not well handled, empty nest syndrome results in worse repercussions such as depression, identity crises, marital conflicts leading to divorce, and alcoholism. If you are a parent experiencing this storm, do not let it overwhelm you. Instead, read on to identify five practical ways of handling it. 

Start a Family Vlog To Keep in Touch

Chances are your children will hardly have time to visit you after they leave the house. Take no offence as this may result from uncontrollable factors such as distance and financial challenges, tight work schedules, and family life. 

The best way around this situation is to organize something that will occasionally bring the family together. Starting a family vlog is one of the most effective ways to actualize this dream. Family vlogs are fun, easy to conduct, and therapeutic. 

Besides making it possible for the family to come together, they help create beautiful and lasting memories that you can always revisit anytime you miss your children. What’s more, they are cheap to run and can earn you a coin when you optimize them on different platforms such as YouTube. 

Technology has helped ease things, and you no longer have to worry about investing in a specialized camera. Instead, you can easily use your iPhone to record and take pictures for your family vlog. The only repercussion you must take when using your iPhone is to delete duplicate photos to maximize space occasionally. 

Keep Busy

Having your last child leave home translates to losing the full-time job you have held for many years. In addition, since you have been playing the role of a parent to your children from day one, leaving home after they are grown up will disassociate you and cause you much pain. 

It’s common to feel empty and worthless as you would usually feel after losing any other job. The secret to overcoming such feelings is to keep busy in different essential roles. You can, for instance, get into employment, go back to school, start working out, or engage in local volunteer opportunities. 

Be Patient With Yourself

Overcoming this storm requires that you first invest in yourself. Unfortunately, many people will not understand your pain as they perceive children leaving home after they are all grown up as a normal phase of life. 

Nonetheless, it’s only you who knows how their departure has impacted your life. Therefore allow the feelings to flow so that you can heal.

Moreover, go out there and interact with other parents in your situation. There may be several support groups in your area for people of your kind to join them to get all the information you need to regain your happiness. 

Revive Your Love Life

Now that you have perfectly prepared your children for adult life and seen off the last born in the family, it’s time to take care of your feelings. Love is a healer of all wounds. Taking time to revive your love life with your partner will work magic in helping you overcome the empty nest syndrome. 

Your love may have dwindled along the way as you were busy taking care of the family. Now that they are gone, you should take the free time in your hands to find the good in your partner. Besides, they are the only ones you have left to stand with you in your old age. 

Plan on finding similar fun activities to do together such as gardening, working out, or just watching your good old times movie. Although your partner may not replace your children, their presence and support will help you overcome the trying times. 

Seek Professional Help

Professional help is readily available to ease your burden and help you navigate this dark storm. Therefore don’t sink into depression or other worse conditions such as alcoholism and divorce when you can quickly recuperate. 

But before then, you must familiarize yourself with the whole idea of empty nest syndrome to enable you to identify dangerous symptoms immediately they manifest.  

The Final Word

Although adult children moving out of the home to start life independently is normal, extended feelings of sadness after their departure are atypical. How well you handle this phase of your life depends on how well you prepare for it. 

Incorporate the above five strategies for a seamless process and faster healing.