5 reasons to be happy about an empty nest

5 reasons to be happy about an empty nest

Are you dreading the day when your children leave home? You’re not the only one. And yet you shouldn’t fear this turning point in your life and in theirs. It can mark the start of a new very pleasant phase.

 Have you already heard of empty nest syndrome? It’s the feeling of sadness or loneliness that parents can experience when a child leaves the fold. To live in student digs or a flat share, or to make their own home a bit earlier than planned. And yet, even though this is the natural course of life and it’s healthy for children to leave home, a father, mother or guardian may have trouble dealing with this and might not know how to react. If necessary, try to see the positive side of this change. Or rather the positive aspects, because there are quite a few of them. We’ll sum up the main ones for you.

1. You can finally eat what you want.

For the first time in 18 years or more, you can cook anything you like. No teenagers hanging around your shopping bags, grumbling because you haven’t bought anything tasty. You’ll never have to find the dessert that you were happily saving for yourself, half eaten and hidden in a corner of the fridge. And forget about those really expensive supermarket bills to feed all those mouths, you’ll finally have a bit of money to treat yourself again. Anyone for an aperitif?

2. Your house will stay clean for longer.

No more piles of washing that stack up endlessly. No-one to run about in dirty shoes on that hallway you’ve just cleaned. The number of times you’ll have to load up and empty the dishwasher and washing machine will also melt like snow in the sun. Your energy bill will also drop drastically, which means you’ll have more money to spend on yourself.

3. You have time for your other half again

Whether you’re a single parent or a couple, once your children leave home, you have plenty of time to rekindle the flames of passion. You don’t need to arrange your dates two weeks in advance, you can go out whenever you want. Do you sometimes watch those old couples walking hand in hand down the road with a jealous eye? Soon it will be your turn again!

4. You can redecorate your home, or move

Why do you need to have so many rooms if you only use one bed? You can transform the vacated rooms into a workshop or finally build that enormous walk-in wardrobe you’ve been dreaming of for so long. But perhaps it’s also the perfect time to sell your house and buy a smaller one or an apartment that’s more comfortable or in a better location. Have you always had an impossible longing for the busy city or the quiet countryside? Now it’s possible!

5. You develop a new relationship with your children

The fact that they have left home doesn’t mean they don’t need you any more. So who will explain to them how to clean that nasty stain on their clothes or cook that delicious meal that you made for them when they were little? Seeing your children making it on their own and becoming adults is a fantastic experience, it’s perhaps even the period that will give you the most satisfaction as parents. And you wouldn’t want to miss that, would you?