Fifty Plus (50+) - Empty Nest

seems pretty empty, after just one day.

seems pretty empty, after just one day.

What, the champagne bottles?

What, the champagne bottles?

:lol:

That's the way we felt. Sad to see them go - but hell, let's change the locks and kill a few bottles of champagne!

Seriously - we love our kids to bits and really enjoy having them over. But in many ways, living in an "empty nest" has been one of the best times of our lives.

Both my kids moved out about 10 years ago into rented accommodation about 10 miles away. However when they bought their houses- they both moved back within 1/2 mile of us. They just can't stay away. The empty nest worked for us. We only have a small house and with them and their boyfriends in the house before they moved out- it was a bit crowded- and noisy- and rather expensive feeding 6 and their mates that always seemed to be round aswell. I enjoy my peace and quiet and my freedom.

I tell my son I want to move in to his house sleep on couch until noon and eat all his pizza.

i tell my son i want to move in to his house sleep on couch until noon and eat all his pizza.

:lol:

Monica and I have until 21 June 2012 with our son at home. He leaves for a 3 month church mission in Quebec and then a follow-on permanent mission position there for 2 years. It will seem strange to have the house to ourselves, save the cat, Carl, and kind of quiet. I am sure we'll adjust to the silence and privacy.

Bill

There was an adjustment period for us. The house is much quieter and the refrigerator and pantry do not seem to empty as quickly. I never thought about it before they left, but the dog seems to miss them as much as we do. His excitement can’t be contained when they visit. It’s like his whole body is wagging, not just his tail.

I told my kids to be sure and call first before coming over or risk being scarred for life:eek:

I tell my son I want to move in to his house sleep on couch until noon and eat all his pizza.

I permanently loaned my Santana tndem to my youngest son yesterday. What does it matter? If I sold it the money would only delay my moving into his place by a couple of weeks.

Uh - the possibility of moving into his place is pretty much the only thing that's keeping me from buying a junk car that leaks oil and parking it in his driveway. I don't get mad, I get even.

I tell my son I want to move in to his house sleep on couch until noon and eat all his pizza.

:lol::roflmao2::roflmao::lol::roflmao2::roflmao:

I can't seem to get rid of my kids. Son moves out with his fiancee' and they break up couple of years later and asks if he can move back in(pays rent of course). Daughter moves out and goes to college and withdraws because of some nasty people there and moves back in. Then she gets engaged and her fiancee', as well as my son, live here. She and her fiancee' move out and 6 months later we have to rescue her from him(he turns out to be an abuser). A couple of month's later she moves out with her best friend(female), even out of state, and so far she's doing fine. Meanwhile(prior to her rescue), my son gets engaged to a wonderful woman and she eventually has moved in. They're getting married in a couple of weeks, but we expect them to be living with us for probably a year to get out from under the wedding debt. With my luck, they'll finally move out and my wife's parents will move in with their two dogs. I'm not sure we'll ever be empty nesters.

I told my kids to be sure and call first before coming over or risk being scarred for life:eek:

Yeah, all of our kids know the key pad code to get into our house but they've been known to phone from our driveway for fear of what me and Mrs. Grouch may be doing.

I told my kids to be sure and call first before coming over or risk being scarred for life:eek:

Same thing here. That 'privacy' thing...

Our syndrome lasted three days. We have adjusted nicely. BTW the little one left in 1992

If anyone is feeling bad about their "empty nest", I would be very glad to contribute one son to solve your problem. :D Every time I get rid of him, the wife lets him back in.

Our sons moved back home a bit over a week ago (just finished their freshman and junior years at college) so the nest is full again. Our older son will be leaving for a seven week internship in Nigeria on Sunday if his visa is actually in the FedEx envelope headed our way (his difficulties dealing with the Nigerian Embassy turned out to be even worse than I had imagined) so we'll only have one at home most of the summer. The empty nest was nice while it lasted.

No horror stories here but I can't seem to get them out. Wife disagrees and keeps the refrigerators well stocked with all their favorites. Even does their laundry and fusses over them endlessly. Maybe I'm the one who should move out.

Just think of the brand new bike room you will have......:thumb:

The only young'un turns 14 in August. Still a way to go.... :eek:

We are great-grandparents.
Empty nest is great; we get to do what we want to do.
Love it!

It's the shock, kind of sudden with the son unlike the daughter who did moved out in stages as she went through college/grad school. I'm sure we'll find something to do :)

I'm just waiting for my son to get a place big enough that I can stash a bike in Seattle to ride when I visit. :)

We are facing an empty nest when my son goes to law school in August. We only have the one child and he went to college locally so he lived at home those four years. He's been seeing this one girl for about a year now and he stays at her place two or three days at a time so we are kinda getting use to it. Lately him and I have been riding quite a bit and I know when he starts back to school that will probably end because he will just not have the time.

My daughter is soon leaving for college. She'll be the last of three moving out. I'm not loving it. I want her to be successful and happy and grow up and all, but I sure will miss her.

We're keeping four bedroom house just because in todays economy you never know. Maybe I'll be longing for empty someday, but for now I'm giving them all a fall back position.

Be careful what you wish for.

For several years, I didn't think we were ever experience the "empty nest". When 1 would leave, they did seem to find their way back. We ended up developing the 30-day rule because they didn't come home by themself. It seem there were grands involved, too and I'm not a built-in babysitter. However, when the last one finally left, we were a couple for the first time in our marriage. In my mind, it's my most treasured time period but that's because empty nest ended up being redefine. I went from a family of 4 to being totally alone, in a 31 days period of time. My world was turning upside down and side ways for awhile as I redefined my life. I've also learned a whole lot more of who I am and what I'm really capable of doing. The world is unlimited.

I really think that the time period in our lives when the children leave to start their lives, is a special time for couples. Just enjoy it. It's "your time".

My son lives 800+ mi. away so I only see him 3 or 4 times a year. So we try to make the best of the time we have.
We try to get together 1 or 2 times to race motorcycles together like we did for alot of years but to day we are going to ride 25 mi round trip for breakfast.
And I know it will turn into a father and son race.

I was glad to see the mooching whiners go.

The boy just left to go back to Newnan GA.

I moved out (work related). Now I don't think they're going to let me back in.

Be careful - with the current economy they may come back.

We had no trouble adjusting, and were looking forward to it. We were making plans for two years before the last one left. First thing was change the locks. Now don't think we don't love our kids, but this was to be our time and we did not want any interruptions, if you know what I mean. Now there were times that we missed them but we shook it off quickly.

First thing was change the locks.
I'm not sure why but this tickles me.

I would have been an empty nester three years running, but we took on a new member 5 years ago. What were we thinking......?

We have no more pets in the house and my son lives 800mi. away.
So I'm done being a responsible adult. If I want to take off for the weekend and go away I can.

Life is good!

I just can't wait!

Somehow, after the kids left and returned for brief periods during their divorces (all three) in the last two years, we ended up with a 17 year old granddaughter living with us. She goes off to college this Fall, but I am not sure if she will be local (community college) or 40 miles north at the U. (I still have plans to move out, but have kept them a secret!:p )

My wife is perfectly happy living in a state of confusion with/near the emotional kids (and some new son/daughter-in-laws). Life can be complicated. I need to take longer rides or extended business trips....

After years of freedom to do what we wanted my worthless sister in law moved in on us. This one is a real user, my wife fell for her line, and now we need to figure a way to get rid of her. Looking into buying her a little house or condo. I think we may have found one that may work. Dang, this means she has done it again.

My three children are all out of the house. It is an adjustment, but I do enjoy having a living room free of book bags, tech gear and giant shoes! Additionally, we enjoy going out to dinner more often as the tab is smaller when it needs only cover a party of two rather than five!
All three visit frequently and I am always happy when they're here. I have told each of them they could come home if they need to, so far--no takers.
Now, if they would only clear out all of their accumulated college dorm furnishings, we might be able to start thinking about installing that spa bathroom with the sunken tub! :)

Monica and I have nine days more until our son, John, leaves to start a church mission in Quebec City. We have been empty before while he and his sister were at University and some summer mission trips but now is the real life missionary job. He comes home for I believe 2 months this fall and then returns for 2 years, uninterrupted. Doubt he will live at home again, seems strange to even think about this. His sister works in Atlanta following graduate school at UGA, she hasn't lived at home since 2004. We love the visits they do but it is nice to have a quiet home and full pantry and refrigerator.

Now, what do I do with two empty bedrooms? Maybe an office for the engineering business I am starting!

Bill

WE'VE BEEN GRAND CHILDREN'ED!

This week our Seattle daughter is visiting with her husband and 3 kids. (They're staying at a hotel.) Even so, they were at our house for dinner last night. They definitely impact our lifestyle when they're here.

Now, what do I do with two empty bedrooms? Maybe an office for the engineering business I am starting!

Bill

One for the bike stuff and the bikes and one for the office, all you have to do is get permission from the Boss. :)

It's the shock, kind of sudden with the son unlike the daughter who did moved out in stages as she went through college/grad school. I'm sure we'll find something to do :)

One or both will be back. Mark my words.

We have been empty nesters for about 10 years now. We have a granddaughter now, 19 months old who lives out of town. Wife goes down to their place (about 140 miles away) to take care of our granddaughter 3 days a week. The bike riding has really picked up for me compared to when they were home. Once they left, the senior care really picked up for me. Definitely members of the Sandwich Generation!

With some decent parenting and good fortune the day comes when you realize you have raised the kind of person you appreciate having around. The next day he or she leaves.

We felt really sad and down after they left. These blues lasted until they both came back for a 3 day weekend a few months later. My wife and I looked at each other and she quietly said "get these people out of my house". Well, Monday afternoon they were gone and we haven't missed them much since. It's funny how a little 'reunion' will change your thinking. bk

I do think grandkids will change this again.

Two of my grandchildren are moving to Colorado tomorrow :cry:

Do they even have indoor plumbing in Colorado?

Two of my grandchildren are moving to Colorado tomorrow :cry:

Do they even have indoor plumbing in Colorado?

We don't need no plumbing and be sure and tell them to STAY OFF MY LAWN!!:)

Where?

Can I help?

I do think grandkids will change this again.

Grandkids visiting make me doubly happy. They make me happy when they come and happy when they leave.

We felt really sad and down after they left. These blues lasted until they both came back for a 3 day weekend a few months later. My wife and I looked at each other and she quietly said "get these people out of my house".

Chinese proverb: "Guests are like fish. After three days they go bad and must be thrown out."

If anyone is feeling bad about their "empty nest", I would be very glad to contribute one son to solve your problem. :D Every time I get rid of him, the wife lets him back in.

You need to convert the extra bedroom into an office, game room or some such.

Didn't see any need to start a new thread on this topic. John (our son and youngest) left last night for Quebec City to start his missionary career. This is a preliminary trip but, and he will come back after 3 months for maybe a week or so to get his dog and the few things he left here, he is up there for around two years, minimum. Got his apartment a month or so back, took care of the Canadian banking issues and lined up the required health insurance for missionaries (International Mission's Board requirement, good idea to me, he isn't eligible for the Canadian health system as he is an American citizen.)

Monica did the short mom's cry and mullygrubbed for about 5 minutes, then she was fine. We will miss him as his sister has been gone since she left for Massachusetts and Smith College in 2004, now working in Atlanta, Ga, and the nest is officially empty. We have raced MX together since he was 12 and ridden bikes since he graduated form college last December.

I am so proud of him for finding his way on his own and working hard to achieve his goals. He is 100% financing the career as far as college and all the things he had to do to get accepted by the Missions Board. he has funding for everything. He had taught himself French to where he will start the language immersion courses in an advanced placement. (His sister majored in french at Smith and wil not even speak the language, burn out, bad!) We gave both he and his sister a separate credit card if they have an emergency several years ago. Both have been totally responsible and paid the card off each month when it was needed.

Sorry this was long, I knew this day was coming for a long time, this thread was so timely and y'all are my surrogate family. Thanks for listening. A new page in our lives begins today. It is time to go riding and get ready for the metric century I signed up for last week.

Bill