Empty Nester Blues

87TT

WKR
Joined
Mar 13, 2019
Messages
3,572
Location
Idaho
Oldest daughter lived with her mother and got married at 18. Younger daughter rented a house and moved out after high school at 18. My son the youngest, well he had a job and was not saving any so i told him when he graduated high school the rent started. This was in 96. I told him $150 a month for his room and board. He said no way and moved out. He came back in a couple of months and asked if he could take the deal. After he put the cash in my hand he moved back for a couple of months until he and a friend got a small house to rent. He hated me at the time but has thanked me numerous times since.
Bottom line is if you did your job they will be fine and thank you later. Good luck Dad.
 

survivalistd

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 1, 2023
Messages
188
My daughter moved to Lake Oswego Oregon few years ago got married. Can't blame her leaving So Cal. Boys are still local and we spend a lot of time together. All have great careers and happy. Agreed that's all we can ask for.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk
 

SloppyJ

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2023
Messages
1,700
I have a son that's 6 and one on the way that's due any minute. I absolutely love the stage he's in now and I know that although it seems like I have a bunch of time, it will be here tomorrow. Just wanted to say thanks for making the post. It's great to keep things in perspective.
 
OP
Customweld
Joined
Sep 13, 2016
Messages
2,413
Location
Idaho
I would be pretty bummed if my kid willingly moved to Texas too.
LOL! yeah, that part is pretty disappointing! Her oldest sister is in El Paso. She is going to stay with them a while and then transfer down to Texas A and M .
 
OP
Customweld
Joined
Sep 13, 2016
Messages
2,413
Location
Idaho
Same here. It’s about this time you start looking back and playing the “shoulda” torture.

It’s a hell of a thing to work so hard to make yourself obsolete (in a manner).
It definitely is hitting momma hard. The last baby. It's pretty easy to sit back and think about how you should have done things. I think we all make our decisions at the time based on the knowledge that we had. Hopefully we all did ok.
 

Fatcamp

WKR
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
5,819
Location
Sodak
It definitely is hitting momma hard. The last baby. It's pretty easy to sit back and think about how you should have done things. I think we all make our decisions at the time based on the knowledge that we had. Hopefully we all did ok.

I work with a woman who has taken her youngest leaving very hard. I don't know that she had interests other than building wealth and raising kids, and now that those are realized she is lost.

We have 2/5 still at home. Time is going by quickly though, and it won't be long before these are gone too.
 
Joined
Nov 14, 2020
Messages
1,184
I was born in El Paso. First thing I did was get the hell outta there! :p

I only had one kid and it was hard when he left home, but I’m blessed that he’s back in the neighbhood and now I have two grandkids. The passages of life make you feel older all the time. I didn’t feel old when I turned 30, but I sure did when my kid turned 30…
 

Yoder

WKR
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
1,678
I would be soooo devastated if my lazy step son who contributes nothing moved out. I can only imagine the tears as I setup my reloading equipment in his empty bedroom. I'm too upset now, I can't type anymore.
 
Joined
Dec 7, 2014
Messages
857
On the other side of this, recently moved out (now 2 years ago) and it's odd not seeing my parents every day. My dad is my best friend so it took some adjusting not talking hunting and fishing on a daily basis, although I still try (to my wife's dismay). Luckily my wife and I live close and I get to see them frequently, but it's just not the same. Kind of like the friend vs room mate thing (if they are a good room mate). It's hard to ever be a close to someone as you are when you live together. That being said all family dynamics are very different.
 
Joined
Nov 28, 2018
Messages
342
Location
CA
I have 5. Oldest are 16 and I really don’t think I am going to be all that sad when they go. I am sure there will be some worry about how they are doing but between 18-22 it’s time for them to move on and for me to get my time back. Love them and try my best to do right by them but not sure I will be all that sad when this part of my life is over. Wife on the other hand might take it a little different
 
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Messages
6,321
Location
Lenexa, KS
My boy turns 9 this September and my wife is all wrapped up in the fact that his time with us is nearly half over.

I heard a stat that by the time a child is 12 you have already spent 90% of the time that you will ever spend with them, and that by the time they're 18 it's 99%. That's gotdamned depressing.
 

Yoder

WKR
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
1,678
My boy turns 9 this September and my wife is all wrapped up in the fact that his time with us is nearly half over.

I heard a stat that by the time a child is 12 you have already spent 90% of the time that you will ever spend with them, and that by the time they're 18 it's 99%. That's gotdamned depressing.
Most kids stay at home until they are 25. You got plenty of time.
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2022
Messages
571
funny, when my son started high school I started planning what to do with the empty room lol. of course, I didn't know it would be another 11 years before he actually left. but I will say, no that hes gone I do miss having someone to weed wack lol
 
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