Made it through first day of "empty nest"

[jjskribs]

Like so many others on these boards I too have just sent a child off to college. The hard part is that he was "the baby" and now there are no children at home.
The house is so very quiet...I don't think that I will ever get used to it. I expect him to come wheeling around the corner into the driveway and ask, "what's for supper?"
For those of you that have been through this, how long does this overwhelming feeling of sadness last? After 21 years of being "mommy" I feel as if that part of my life is now over. I'm sure that I will feel better next week when I get back to school with my little first graders. Until then...how do I stop the tears?

 

[sleepy1]

I am having a bad day myself. We dropped our oldest son off at A&M yesterday and I have been crying all day. I know this is a good thing and you have to let them go but it is sooo hard. We still have our baby at home ( he is only 12 ) but it is still hard to have our oldest go off. He is 7 hours away from us so we won't see him every weekend. I am counting the days until Sept 20th when we go down for parent weekend. Hugs to you and all the other Moms having to let go .

 

[mhopset]

Took Seth to kindergarten this morning. It is right across the street from our house.

Becky and I cried all the way to Mcdonalds! Finally stopped crying in time to order my egg mcmuffin.

 

[nativetxn]

{{{HUGS}}} sweetie. I'm sorry you're so sad. I only had one child and I just didn't go through the empty nest syndrome (of course my mother and brother both moved in with me about that time, so I guess I never had an empty nest).

I did cry when my son left for Houston to start his first real job. I got over it pretty quick though.

I hope the sadness goes away for you very quickly. More {{{HUGS}}}

 

[wdw4us]

about 3 months before I could eat at the dining room table. That empty chair was too much to handle.

My son goes year round so I don't see him that often. He'll be home for a week in October but I haven't seen him since Christmas.

It does get easier. Keep busy, get a hobby, rekindle the romance with the hub or volunteer at a school so you can be with kids again.

Good luck!

denise

 

[Doctor P]

Lots of good thoughts coming your way.

 

[Wagamama]

do what my mom is doing now...call every hour to make sure they haven't forgotten who you are!! My sister has stopped answering the phone now which is driving my mom nutty!!!

 

[Kitty 34]

{{{{{HUGS}}}} to you. I can't imagine what that will be like!! It was hard enough to say bye to my oldest going off!! I have 6 more yrs before the "baby" goes.

 

[hercamore]

Oh boy, I feel for ya!

We shall have our first "empty nest experience" this weekend.

I think we should alll get together an plan a trip to disney.

Prices and crowds will be low next month!

I am tempted!


Herc.

 

[Meriweather]

It was a lot easier than I had ever thought!!
DD is now in her 3rd year of college (she is the youngest).
We are very close and I spent almost all her younger years driving her around to friends' houses, sporting events and the like.
I thought what am I going to do when she is gone. Answer: LOTS!! And it is what I want to do
I adapted easily. It really shocked me.
She had a hard time at first. She called every day the first week of her freshman year (sometimes twice a day) because she was lonely. (She is 300 miles away)
But then she met people, joined clubs and is VERY happy.

 

[Boots]

{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}} My baby will be getting married next July. By then he will be 24 but he has always lived at home. You may be holding my hand and comforting me come then!

 

[Micca]

DW and I sent our twin DD's off one year ago. There are frequent phone calls and lots of IM's, but I think we are both enjoying the space and the flexibility of not having to structure our lives around the kids. We miss them, but one is only 2.5 hours away, the other is in the College program at WDW
I am especially pleased for DW who because of the hours I work and my inability to help with homework beyond the 3rd grade, was saddled with much of the responsibility of getting the twins through school. She is getting a much deserved break.

 

[minniecarousel]

jjskribs - I feel for ya! It does get easier - each time they go. I don't cry every time they drive away to go back to school! If you can set up Instant Messaging on both your computers - it helps. Older DS is on the computer a lot - but I don't "talk" to him EVERY time I see he's on (sometimes it's just a comfort to know he's home & on the computer - he leaves a message icon if he's away from the computer). Younger DS is a little harder to get a hold of - but the two boys live together - so that helps me too.
I'm lost when I remember those cute little boys - I can't believe they've grown up! Believe me - it will get easier (we were almost faced with having younger son home for this semester - I told DH I don't think I can have him here - it's too stressful! Thank heavens, everything worked out - he's gone!)
Hang in there!

 

[jjskribs]

Thank you so much everyone for your words of encouragement. I knew that I would find a sympathetic ear here on the DIS. I know that it will eventually get easier. The ONLY good thing about him being away is that I don't have to fight with him for computer time. He is having computer problems at school and can't get on-line so he can't IM right now. He just called and was sounding sad and homesick which is making me feel even worse than I already did.So far, everything that could have gone wrong for him has and it is bumming him out but it will all be part of his "growing pains." Classes haven't started yet and he has too much time to sit and think. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for him.

 

[Disneydenise]

I think the empty nest thing must be very hard. {{{hugs }}}. I sent my oldest to college on Saturday. I was surprised that it wasn't as bad as I had imagined it would be. I think it will be worse for me when I send DS in 2 years. I have to say that it is nice to have him to myself. He is such a sweet boy when he wants to be. I am very close to DD and I think that since she is so close by it is easier for me. I hope that DS finds a school he likes that is within a few hours too. I would be thrill if he chose Uof P but that is my wish not his so... Good Luck to all of us who have to do this college theng this year for the first time. Best of luck to all of us who have to do the empty nest thing. I think it is hard to start to live life with you as a priority when it has been so long that our children were the priority. I said on another post they should have a support group for the mothers of teens it is sort of a tough time for everyone concerned. I remember the playgroups when my children were little and I think the best part of that was the mom talk. I think the Dis is what has helped me thru this time. Thanks to everyone.