Whether it’s Christmas, birthdays, Saturday morning pancakes, or spring break vacations, learning to navigate family traditions in the empty nest catches many parents off-guard. You expect the emotional roller coaster when the kids move out or go to college, and even the black hole of not hearing from them for stretches of time. But do […]
Learning to Say “Yes!” Again
As parents, we’ve had to say “No” a lot. To our kids, yes. But also to ourselves. Certain dreams and activities had to be laid down for the sake of the whole family. More often than not, you put money toward the health, needs, and wants of the kids over your own. But now that the […]
10 Ways to Savor Life After Your Kids Leave Home
Eight years of living in my own empty nest, along with talking to other empty nest moms, has shown me we commonly fall into one of two ditches when the kids go off to college. Either we don’t feel like doing anything. Or we find ourselves on a hamster wheel of busyness. Whether you’re fighting […]
10 Ideas for the Perfect College Care Package
Care package love. Receiving real mail is the best. You know, hand-written, hand-picked, and doesn’t come with a bill. At the top of that list would be a care package from home. I remember receiving them and suddenly life looked a whole lot brighter. College care packages are the perfect bridge between independence and family. Now […]
A Little ‘Love Advice’ From a Fireplace
So, what are you shooting for? What does your ideal relationship look like? Fireworks, 24/7? Unending admiration? Faithful support at every obstacle, but not too much advice? Just enough laughter, tears at the right moments, and forever the right answer? Someone who’s always there, except when you need to be alone? Someone who knows what you […]