The Empty Nest

Tips for fathers coping with empty nest syndrome

Empty nest: Tips for burning the apron strings to your money

Empty Nest does not Equal Empty Life

What to do if you don't want to retire

Now It's Your Turn

You have raised your children and successfully gotten them to move out.  Now what do you do?

Empty nesting is a time for self-discovery.  You no longer are a full time parent.  So that leaves you with a lot of time on your hands.

Time you used to spend on lessons and sports practices and recitals is open for you to schedule time for yourself.  What is your preference?

Have you always wanted to travel? Time to look into those dream vacations and cruises you have been drooling over in the travel brochures.

Is it time to get your finances in order?  Your gasoline budget is cut in half now that your taxi is parked.  No more tuition bills.  The clothing budget is now only the dry cleaning bill.  Have you considered how much you want to put away?  How much of your child's inheritance do you want to spend?

Marriages change when the children leave.  Now you two have time to spend together.  You have functioned as the parental unit for the last couple decades.  How do you function as a couple again?  Do you remember how to date?

Midlife crisis.  He is buying a sports car.  She is buying shoes.  What is driving you batty?

Moving.  Next to death, the most trying experience for a human.  Is it time to be looking at a smaller house?  Oh, to not have to vacuum 2500 square feet!  Can your marriage handle both of you in the same room?

Ready to get married?  Being a single parent is really tough.  Time to reward yourself for going it alone.  Get on the dating scene again.  Will you date the "old fashioned" way or cyber or speed dating?

Get a job.  Are you qualified to do something besides be a parent?  Go back to school or rejoin the workforce.  You are still young; why retire?

Feed your brain.  Time to learn Italian.  You have already planned your trip to Roma.  Take a class or a tutor and learn to speak another language.

Remember saying, "I wish I knew then what I know now?"  Guess what.  Now you know.  You have the freedom of being a couple or a single with all the knowledge of an adult, with no more responsibility than you had in your twenties.

Put that knowledge to use.  Invent, learn, travel, work...whatever suits your fancy. 

Take some time to share with us how the emptying of your nest has changed your life.  All comments are welcomed below.  Scroll through the Helium titles and write to us.  Share the knowledge.

Most of all, enjoy!

Investing for retirement