Greetings, dear Sisters!
I've been asked to make a presentation about the "Empty Nest" in the very near future. So I've done some "googling" to find out what is being said, but I also wanted to hear from each of you if you have even the slightest bit of info to share that might be helpful to someone else -- I would like to be able to include this in my presentation, but would be careful not to identify you unless you particularly said that would be okay --

I am really looking forward to hearing from you -- this is a subject I had given very little thought to until asked to do this -- Your help is REALLY appreciated -- Google has 375,000 entries -- but I won't be reading all of them in order to search out info that comes from a christian perspective!

Thanks so much,
Blessings, wisdom, love & laughter, Fellow Heir, Kathy

There are many women on this site who have already been through this, and they will have much better info than I. But, here are my thoughts.

My only child will start college next fall, and to a certain extent, I think I'm already in "mourning". I am NOT looking forward to the "empty nest". However, I have done my best to raise a child who knows that he belongs to God and needs to live his life accordingly. We have been blessed to be able to send him to a Christian university (Harding) where I hope that what we have taught him will be reinforced. So, I feel that I have done everything I can to prepare him for this. As for me, I know that God has brought me through everything tough in my life thus far, and I know that He won't leave me now. I will just continue to "move on" and trust God to keep my child safe and show me "what's next" in my life. I had always been a "working mom", but have been blessed to spend the past four years at home with our son. I'm already hoping to return to work next fall, which will at least keep me "occupied". The rest is up to God. And I'm so thankful that He cares for me.

Here a few thoughts that might help.

Hopefully the full nest years have been in giving love, consideration, respect for intelligence and values, and good spiritual values. It is a time for growth, both of parents and children. Parents learning the best of parenthood and children learning to grow into responsable adulthood. Because, after all, the emptiest nest is the one that is totally forsaken, leaving the parents alone and helpless.

As you talk to the "Empty Nesters" you will also be talking to those that in just a few coming years will also be looking at those empty nests. One thing to consider is what was your relationship from the begining? Parents that raise their children under neglectful attitudes, attitudes of anger, and attitudes that they do not know anything or have responsible values, can expect the same back from them when they leave home to make their way alone in this world. You have to be really honest with youself when you consider this, because none of us want to admit that we "failed in any way". But an angry, unforgiving home makes for an angry unforgiving attitude for life in most cases. And spoiling makes for a shelfish greedy life in most cases. In some cases both attitudes pervade a home, and that is really hard to deal with.

So what should you expect from them? Things can change, though, if you change toward them too. That includes good values as well as bad values. But both sides can reach back under good conditions to retrieve a workable relationship.

Then the time must be filled with things to do. Have you had dreams that did not see fruition? My younger years were set toward being a Dr.; never was possible. But when the last child was about to graduate, I went into nurses' training, and it was very rewarding, even though I only had ten years to be able to practice. It is also a time for husband and wife to find new values and a closer relationship together, no matter what the parenting years was between them under stress and strain.

Hobbies can be rewarding, too. Learning new things and seeing new places. It is also a time to devote time to more bible study.... deep and inspiring. Teaching the classes to help the younger generations to aspire to higher spiritual values, as the older women should be doing for the growth of the younger women.

Thank you, ladies, for your helpful comments -- Any more comments are gratefully received!

Blessings to "all y'all!" Kathy

Kathy, I sent you an email. Let me know if you don't get it.

Thanks, Donna -- got it and know it will be useful -- Thanks also to Cathy M. -- That's really good, too! Many thanks!9RE8 It's so good to hear from christian sisters! Blessings to "all y'all"!