It happens the day your youngest childleaves home for good-you and your wife become empty nesters.Psychiatrist Gail Saltz of New York’s Presbyterian medical centerexplains that empty nester symptoms is “sadness; fear in what yourposition in life is now; major adjustments in what you do every day;how you view yourself; and how your marriage functions.” I foundthis here: http://naturesbalance.com/2602/empty-nester-syndrome/

Moving on as an empty nester

When the dust settles behind theyoungest child, occasionally empty nesters will realize they don’tknow the person lying beside them in bed at night. The wife theythought they knew so well had become a stranger. Saltz warns that asan empty nester, you may find “you have allowed your marriage tostagnate, and once the kids are gone, there is nothing left to holdthe marriage together. This is when it becomes very important for youto exert a ton of effort to reestablish romance.” Empty nesters arealso often plagued by depression. If this sounds like you, tryfollowing a few of the recommendations below:

• Start a brand new hobby. You know that one you’ve wanted to choose up your whole life but just never had time for.

• Make a dream list. There are a ton of things you and your husband will be able to do now that you do not have to stress about what to do with your children.

• Reacquaint yourself with your spouse. They are the same person you’ve known and loved for several years, but now you finally get to appreciate them without the interfering buzz of kids.

• Call your kids. Sure, they don’t live at home anymore, that doesn’t mean they do not still need their parents.

Despite the despondency many feel whentheir last child leaves home, being a vacant nester is a good thing.It means you did a good job raising your kids. Your chicks canfinally fly.

Source

MSNBC

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/5818627/ns/today-today_hidden/t/six-steps-getting-over-empty-nest/#.T5g9OcRSQ0o