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When your children are born, you imagine what they will be like when they grow up. What you didn't imagine is what you would be like when they do. Empty nest syndrome hits the homes of unsuspecting parents every day. It is the time that your children have flown the coop in search of their own lives. We know it's good for them, but we didn't know how bad it was going to be for us.

This is why empty nest syndrome is tough and what you can do to combat those feelings:

Missing Your Baby

The firs thing that makes it so hard when your children move from your home is that you just plain miss them. You have spent the last eighteen or more years caring for your child. It is certain that you will miss their presence in your everyday life. Those days of sitting around the dinner table are now much emptier. It is easy to understand how lonely this can make you feel.

Too Much Time On Hand

You now have more time on your hands than ever before. Filling those hours that you had spent all these years with your children leaves you feeling bored. It is difficult, at times, to get through those moments. Your mind begins to wander and you find yourself looking at the old pictures wondering how time went by so quickly.

Sadness over Aging

Your begin to feel older when your children have all grown up. You start thinking how much closer you are to death's door. It can be depressing to say the least. The wrinkles and gray hair seem to appear out of nowhere. Don't worry, it has been there. You were just too busy with your children to notice those changes creeping in on you.

Loss of Control

You feel a sense of the lost control over your children's lives. They once had to follow your rules. It is time for them to live by their own rules. It is very hard to let go of that. You thought you would worry less but find that you worry more. At least when they lived with you, you knew where they were and what they were doing.

The cure for this problem is easy. You now have a new way of life. Finding things to do isn't difficult. You now have time to join that club you always wanted to. Going to the gym to workout can help alleviate the aching that you feel to have your children back in your home. It also helps you feel and look younger.

Remember that your children are only a phone call away. Most children will understand if you call them constantly when they first leave your home. Just remember that you have to let go at some point. The phone calls should only be used to ease the worry that you are feeling. You will soon find out that your children are very capable of making good choices. You taught them that you know.

Keep yourself busy and enjoy your new life. Yes, the house is quiet now. Almost too quiet. You will get used to it in time. Once you do, you won't want them to come back too often. Your children have solid roots. Nothing can shake that. They also were given the ability to fly with the wings you helped them grow. Don't be so afraid of your future. Grow your own wings and fly in new directions.

Learn more about this author, Dawn Hawkins.
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