PART V - THE MAJOR ISSUES

Empty Nest

When children grow up and leave the house, either to school or out on their own, the impact on the parents is substantial. There is sadness and a sense of loss, but the real issue is how this major change will impact the marriage.

The transition can be stressful, but it can also be a time of joy and rejuvenation, if the parents refocus their attention to each other. Not surprisingly, the keys to success continue to be the concepts in Part IV.

Usually, the new environment will result in each spouse having more time. For many, the tendency will be to fill that time with individual pursuits. While this can be fun and liberating after many years of child-rearing, husband and wife need to fill some of that time with things of interest to both. 

Re-discovering each other after years of focus on the children can bring a couple closer together, rekindle romance, and lead to some of the happiest years of a marriage. 

Unfortunately, some marriages already on shaky ground may get worse. There are a number of books available on surviving an empty nest (type empty nest into any search engine, such as Google). 

These may be helpful, but if the concepts in Part IV are not working for you, you probably need professional counseling.