Hello, fellow Empty Nester! Happy Fall!!! How was your Summer? Mine? Thanks for asking! My husband and I had one graduate from college, and a second (the last of our four kids) graduate from high school. Happy tears. Sad tears.
And now what?
I’m not a psychologist. I just play one on TV. But even without that degree, I can take a stab at what it FEELS like for many people to be an Empty Nester.
It’s WEIRD. How’s that for fancy terminology?
Whether you have been a stay-at-home parent or a fully employed outside-the-home parent, kids take up a TON of time. Parenting is a full-time job, until it stops being a full-time job.
And when the kids are out of the house — either off to college, or finally living on their own — I think most Empty Nesters look at each other and think, “Maybe I should reintroduce myself now.” And, “What are we going to do with all this extra time now?” And also, “What are we going to TALK about?”
Sound familiar?
Here’s one way to tackle that weird moment in life: Travel.
Why travel? Lots of reasons! First, all of us get in a rut. We eat at the same restaurants. We watch the same TV shows. Our routines around the house or at the office are the same day in and day out. But travel shakes all of that up for us. It’s almost impossible to adhere to a routine while traveling. And that’s kind of awesome!
Another reason to travel as an Empty-Nester? The opportunities for conversation, and not just about the kids or the grandkids! Travel opens up a whole new world of subjects to discuss. Empty Nester travel is a great way to reconnect with other couples! Trust me, they are dying to have a conversation with other adults too.
Bottom line: Empty Nester travel can take many forms. None of them are wrong, and all of them come with the guarantee of ushering in a fresh chapter of life with new vistas, new conversations, and renewed energy for what comes next.
Feel inspired? Good! Dust off that old suitcase and get going! The world awaits.
