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Empty-nest. How old will you be when you're empty-nested, how do you feel about it..


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Ds says he's never leaving. Dd says she's leaving as soon as she's old enough to work. Either way, in 11 years i will do what i want. If ds stays home, he will be working and paying his way.

 

Eta- i will be almost 40. Hopefully working as a phrn (pre hospital RN). I want to specialize in peds.

Edited by amo_mea_filiis
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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested?

2. How do you feel about it?

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then?

 

IF my children live at home for 4 years to attend the local college after high school I will be empty nested at 51. If they go to the big city for university I will be 47.

 

How do I feel about it, one 1 hand I am excited and can't wait for that day, on the other I want to freeze time and never let it happen.

 

Well I will still be fairly young, so I imagine I will be working, hopefully more involved in service projects/volunteering than I am now, doing hobbies etc. For all I know I will be a gramma by the time my youngest moves out, my oldest is 9 years older than her so it is totally plausible.

 

I do know that in 5 years 1/2 of my children will be on to postsecondary and may not be living here anymore and while the peace and quiet is enticing, that is far too soon.

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Should be 56 when youngest graduates high school....she may be at home another couple years of goes to cc.

 

Now - SillyAutismMan will never move out, so nest will never be totally empty.

 

(I need a new nickname for SAM - he does have autism, but also a great sense of humor and laughs a lot. Sir Laughs-a-Lot? )

 

I will most likely spend my time taking SAM to various places, or staying home with him. My six-foot-tall shadow.

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Hmm, it all depends on what they decide to do as to what age I am. If everyone is officially gone after college graduation then, 57. My youngest is turning 4. If I count her leaving for college as empty nest, then 53.

 

I'm starting my midwifery training in January so I'll likely be doing that.

 

I think if my kids move far away, I'll be sad. If they are close®, no big deal if they don't live with us.

 

Oh and hopefully my dd will be married and givng me a grandbaby:)

Edited by JenC3
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1. I'll be 52 or so.

2. I'll be sad, but by that time, I think I'll be ready. Dh and I have been growing in our relationship a LOT lately, so there is also an element excitement about just being a couple again and what that will look like and mean. My oldest will be 29 by then, so there's a chance I'll already be a grandma, which would be totally fun.

3. I plan to spend lots of time with dh! Also reading, gardening, writing and whatever else strikes my fancy. Oh, and my house will be clean and organized. :D

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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested? Mid 50's unless we are blessed with another.

2. How do you feel about it? Some days I feel pretty old being 37 with a 2 year old running around. Other than that I enjoy my life with my dd and dh and that is just too far way to even begin to figure out what life will be like.

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then? I doubt that I will go back to work, but dh and I have lots of things that we enjoy doing and if we are both healthy, I don't see that changing.

.

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I will be 55 or 60'ish. I plan to return to my career at some point, as I will need to work until I am pretty old in order to be able to fund our retirement (my being a SAHM means no retirement funds being set aside for either of us really). I also want to be able to have money to help my daughter and her family and children.

 

So, if I am alive and healthy enough, I will be working (either as a scientist in industry or as a professor or university researcher).

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I will be 52 when the soon to arrive munchkin hits 18. Dh and I plan to wait until he's done with school, then sell the house and go live on a houseboat in the Caribbean. Dh wants to open an American style short order diner in whatever the vacation hot spot is down there at the time.

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1. I'll be 47 when my last graduates from high school, and I assume he will go away to college. By then, both of my girls will be out of college, so we will likely not have anyone at home.

 

2. I have been freaking out and depressed about the thought of just the first dd leaving for the last two years, so... not good. :(

 

3. Youngest will go to high school, and I will be going back to work teaching high school math and/or computer science. That should help pay for college and retirement (and travel. :D) So I'll be working when he leaves home. I should be able to put in almost 20 years before retiring with dh.

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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested?

2. How do you feel about it?

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then?

 

I will be in my mid-50s I guess (if we're all going with age 21 for the kids to be outta here).

 

I feel great.

 

I plan on working full time at my current company, buying a summer bungalow on the beach, and vacationing a lot with hubby.

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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested?

2. How do you feel about it?

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then?

 

 

1. I will be 47 when my youngest is 18.

2. I am looking forward to my kids being independent. I'm raising adults, not children. Of course, that's easy to say when my oldest is only 9. :tongue_smilie:

3. I hope dh and I can travel more. I'm sure I'll work, but I don't know if I want to go back to school before then and become a PT assistant or if I something else. I figure I have time.

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Should be 56 when youngest graduates high school....she may be at home another couple years of goes to cc.

 

Now - SillyAutismMan will never move out, so nest will never be totally empty.

 

(I need a new nickname for SAM - he does have autism, but also a great sense of humor and laughs a lot. Sir Laughs-a-Lot? )

 

I will most likely spend my time taking SAM to various places, or staying home with him. My six-foot-tall shadow.

 

I like Sir Laughs-a-lot. :D

 

I'll be either 49, 51, or 53 dependent upon when he actually moves out. We're in no rush to shoo him out the door, but I'm excited to see what his young adult life will bring.

 

How do I feel? I don't know really.

 

What will I do? I'll probably work at home and spend time sorting and purging homeschool materials and turning the classroom into a writing retreat.

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I will be 60 when the youngest graduates from high school.

 

I'm not certain how I feel. I hope to have grandchildren by then. But I am thoroughly enjoying my adult children right now, so I think it will be more of the same.

 

I do not know what I plan to do -- take some classes -- enjoy grandchildren - enjoy husband.

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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested?

2. How do you feel about it?

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then?

 

I will be 60.

I've already had one go to college and he's overseas for a year. I miss him and am sad and nostalgic at times. But I'm also incredibly happy at the man he has become. That was the goal of all this! I'm sure it will be both worse and easier as the rest leave: worse in that there are fewer at home and easier in that I will have learned better how to do this phase!

Lord willing, I will continue the job I have now at our church working with children. I would consider foster kids as well. I really love kids!

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I'll be 50 and dh will be 54. I love my kids and I've loved this season in life. I'm really beginning to enjoy them even more now that they are older and we have these great discussions and can see who they are turning out to be, where their passions and interests are, and witnessing how thrilled they are with each step taken towards independence. It's a fun time, even if it is a bit of an emotional tug of war on my heart.

 

But, that said, dh and I are really looking foward to the empty nest. This homeschooling through high school thing for four kids is pretty exhausting at times along with their extra-curriculars, character training, etc. We'll be ready to be independent of the children and spend some time doing things together that have been on the back burner for many, many years.

 

Of course dd seems to think I should homeschool her hypothetical future children since she believes the economy won't right itself for a very long time and she and future hubby will need her to be full-time in the work force for many years. I don't know if I can bring myself to start over at reading readiness and end at physics and calculus with another child much less multiples. We'll see. I know that when the time comes, dh and I are likely to be very involved grandparents and dh is such a baby/small child oriented guy, that there may be pressure for me to homeschool them at least when they are little and he's in the honeymoon stage of grandparenting! Personally, if they lived in that area, I'd be quite happy to subsidize tuition for my grands at the Lutheran K-8 school I used to teach at and I'd definitely pay on a school bill to put them in the Lutheran/Classical high school if dd and family lived close enough to it. They are both excellent schools with good social cultures.

 

I've flippantly said that when the last ds is dropped off at the dorms, I'm sleeping for 30 days, hiring someone to do the laundry, not cooking for 90 days, refusing to answer phone calls from college students requesting money, and then going to the UK for two weeks! My family is not amused by these pronouncements.

 

The Lutheran K-8 keeps saying that if I'm willing to do the commuting, they are willing to re-hire me the minute I'm free. I do work occasionally at a quilt store that would like to hire me full time and I've also thought about getting my master's degree. Hmm....of those three options, I do have to admit that going back to my old teaching job has merits. I LOVED that job, the environment, etc. and I only taught part-time...general music and choir grades 3-6 and science labs grades 4-8. It was a wonderful position and according to the principal, "We make due with inadequate replacements!" (That's a nice boost for my ego. :D)

 

Faith

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I'll be 57 when my youngest turns 18. She's only 2, so I haven't thought much yet about being an empty nester.

 

My oldest will be 18 in 4 years, and it's hard, but a the same time exciting, to see her grow up. Since she'll be 30 when my youngest turns 18, hopefully I'll be enjoying grandchildren!

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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested?

2. How do you feel about it?

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then?

 

I'll be 44. Dh will be 52.

 

I'm not sure, how I feel about it. It's a long way off.

 

Again, I have no plans for what then. It's a long way off.

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I'll be 62, and will hopefully have grandchildren by then to distract me.

 

:iagree:

 

I do think I want to spend a month just sitting on a porch, staring at the ocean. Alone.

 

Then I'm going to (hopefully) help out with my grandkids and *send them home* when the day is done. Woo hoo! :lol:

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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested? I will be turning 59 when my youngest graduates high school.

2. How do you feel about it? I'm ready! I've been feeling old lately (I'll be 53 next week)

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then? Even though dc will be done with high school, I expect one or both of them to still be living at home going to college. So it won't be totally empty. Also, I care for my 83yo mostly bedridden MIL who lives with us. If she is still alive, I expect her care needs to intensify. I expect to have to do more for my now77yo mother, who is getting more limited in what she can do for herself. So I don't think I'll be feeling empty anytime soon. Also, my dss has made noises about me homeschooling his future kids.:eek:

.

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That time is now. yikes!

 

I am 52 and youngest dd is 18 and will be leaving for college in September.

 

I have no idea what I will do. I need to pick up some income to offset college expenses (wow prices have jumped just in the last 3 years that oldest dd has been in school) and to fluff our retirement plan back up.

 

I have applied a few places but haven't tried as hard as I should to find work. I am also considering several small business ideas with friends. :tongue_smilie:

 

I have known it was coming and thought I knew what I would do but right now it seems all fuzzy.

 

I am just taking each day at a time.

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I'm sending my first off to college this fall and I'll be 56 when my youngest turns 18. I'm hoping dh is able to retire and we can do some traveling around with the kids way before that point. Dh is turning 56 next month so he would be 69 by the time dd is 18.

 

I couldn't even begin to guess how I'll feel. It's so far away. Plans would depend on health for both dh and I, and how things go financially between now and then. I doubt I will go back to work unless I have to, unless it's something I really want to do and would enjoy. (maybe work part time in a book store just for the discount:D)

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I will be 60 when my youngest is 18. I am already a grandmother (my granddaughter is 5 months older than my youngest). I am looking forward to having an empty nest...I've been raising kids for 23 years and have 17 left to go. I am getting tired! LOL

 

When my kids are all grown I plan to retire! I'd like to maybe do some volunteer work. I'll probably spend lots of time with my grandchildren, and I'm going to enjoy just doing whatever I want whenever I want :).

 

Susan in TX

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If we have no more children (probably unlikely) I will be 47 when our youngest is 18. My oldest will then be 28 so I am assuming I will have some grandbabies by then. :001_smile:

 

I am not sure what I will do. I'm guessing since we have so many children I will be kept busy, regardless. Hopefully with good things. I can say I'm not looking forward to not having little ones in the house anymore.

 

This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately.

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:iagree:

 

I do think I want to spend a month just sitting on a porch, staring at the ocean. Alone.

 

Then I'm going to (hopefully) help out with my grandkids and *send them home* when the day is done. Woo hoo! :lol:

 

Love this idea! I will be 63ish, assuming than none of the 6 darlings need to move back for a time. Never know what the future will hold, lol.

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I'll be 61 when DS5 is 18.

 

I'm rather looking forward to an easier life and I'm sure I'll enjoy the peace and quiet.

 

I don't know quite what I'll do when the time comes. Maybe I'll be working, maybe I'll fill my life with lots of different interests. I enjoy my own company and have never been bored in my life, so the prospect of an empty nest doesn't worry me at all.

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Assuming dd3 leaves when she's, say, 20, I will be 61. I suspect I will feel just fine about it, because I am imagining my older two will have kids by then so I'll have plenty of kid contact if I want it. Also, I am imagining being able to indulge the long-neglected introvert in me. I would like to read and write and make things.

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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested?

2. How do you feel about it?

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then?

 

1. When the youngest kid turns 18 (typical high school grad age), I will be 54 and DH will be 64.

 

2. This literally keeps DH up some nights fretting. If I ever get some real sleep again, I'll think about it then. :tongue_smilie:

 

3. We are burning the candle at both ends and in the middle right now to build our business to a point of passive income (with little manager oversight-type needs) or retirement. Given that we haven't had a spare moment in the last 7 years (and it's not slowing down, ramping up), who knows what we'll want to do then.

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I'll be 55 when my youngest leaves. And I'm good with that. I'm so enjoying my oldest kiddos in their young adulthood. Honestly, it is waaaay more fun than the younger years. We have a great time together. And I'm an advisor, not an authority figure, and that has been wonderful.

 

My dh and I are looking forward to our empty nest years. Travel, home improvement, more travel, and hopefully grandchildren. What's not to look forward to?

 

And I have a whole list of things I want to do once I'm not tied down to homeschooling and shuttling kids around. Woo hoo!!!

 

Oh, and for those of you who say "it's far in the future" for you...no, it's not. The years between 8 and 12 fly by at the speed of light, and before you know it....you have teenagers. Seriously, they go so fast you won't believe it. So if you have an 8 or nine year old now, you're halfway through their childhood already. They're adults in your life for far longer than they're children. The time to parent little ones is very brief and goes by at warp speed. As the old song says, "Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four, turn around and you're a young maid going out of the door."

Edited by DianeW88
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1. Both dh and I will be 40 when ds graduates hs.

 

2. Looking forward to it already a little but I know I will be beyond sad.

 

3. Dh will probably retire the same year. We plan on traveling in the rv for a few years. After that I have no clue!

Edited by dawn8500
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I will be 43 when ds 6 is 18. Not sure if he will move out at 18 or older?? I guess it depends on what he plans on doing for post high school school and a career! Right now he wants to be Gold Man (a new super hero!) So I have time ;) I don't know what I will do. I will probably get a job and dh and I will travel when we can.

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I'll be 51 when DS2 turns 18. So if all 3 are at out of state or even in state schools I'll be an empty nester then. It could be as late as 55 though, if youngest DS lives at home during college.

 

I plan on traveling, playing with Grandkids by the time I am 60ish, and just generally relaxing. Hoping when DH retires that we will travel a lot, which won't happen till all 3 are out of college and probably in their 30s.

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If I plan on my youngest being 20 when she leaves home, I'd be 44, and DH will be 49. Its so far away that I have NO IDEA what we would do. We never had time alone together since I came into this marriage with two children. I'm hoping DH and I will have a chance to date!

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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested?

2. How do you feel about it?

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then?

 

1] Assuming they all leave home at 18,I will be 58.

 

2]I will have been raising children for 40 years [ will I be able to adapt ?]

 

3] I plan on Knitting lots, go out on a whim. Drink Coffee in the coffee shop and read a book.Maybe see the world.Go on mission trips.

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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested?

2. How do you feel about it?

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then?

 

I will be 47 or so, assuming my youngest leaves when she's 18. Hopefully I'll have adjusted myself to it by then, since my older 3 will be leaving in the next 5 - 8 years, and it'll be just the youngest at home for several years.

 

I have no idea what I'll do with myself. Honestly, I see some traveling, relaxing, lots of reading, etc. in my future. I think I'll have earned it after 24 years of homeschooling!

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Assuming my youngest is 18 when she leaves, I'll be 44 years old and hubby 45. I'm excited about it, but I have no idea what I'm going to do. Definitely travel lots with hubby or even by myself. At this point I have zero-negative desire to have a career, but that's a lifetime away still.

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I will be.... 49yrs old :) Happy dance for me, as long as we're all healthy and well :) I'm hoping for a good job by then as well as maybe being a Nana :) I'm excited for the next 9 years, as long as I don't get short sited about what is or may be happening in between.

I've got 4 kids/stepkids, so I feel like I have a good chance of around 10 grandkids :) I have to admit that I want a relationship like my mom has with my children, so I don't hope for 100 gkids... just enough to spoil and love on :)

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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested?

2. How do you feel about it?

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then?

 

I'll be 47 when my youngest graduates high school. I'm not sure how I feel about it. I am looking forward to hanging with my dh. I have now idea what I'm going to do with myself. None. Since that day is only 6 years away, I feel like I need to start trying to figure it out.....

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Well, Dd17 has sworn she's never leaving. ;)

 

For real? I'll be in my mid 60s. I'm very sad about it all. As long as they act like respectful adults, then they can stay here as long as they like. This is their house, anyway. They know that. They may all go off, but I've made them promise SOMEONE will hold onto this and keep it for the family.

 

I'll be doing what I'd be doing. Volunteering, painting, traveling, writing, gardening and kicking back with the DH. They're welcome to be around for it, I'm starting now, anyway.

Edited by justamouse
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1. How old will you be when you're empty-nested?I'll be 48 when my youngest is 20.

2. How do you feel about it? Some days I really look forward to it. Other days I dread it. i am sure I will have mixed feelings

3. What do you plan to do with yourself/your time then?

 

I have all kinds of ideas...pursue art, garden more. See how self-sufficient I can make our farm, perhaps i'll buy 6-8 jerseys and milk them all the time for selling milk. write a lot. Take college classes. volunteer with the county 4H club, teach young women about making a home.

 

If they don't come home for Christmas (I hope they stay home and make memories with their own young children!) I will go someplace warm and sandy for Christmas day. And we will have a big Christmas celebration on New Years' Day.

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