Amy Schmidt, Author of "Cannonball: Fearlessly Facing Midlife and Beyond," joins us to talk about transitions. Amy herself is now an empty nester and she call it Free Birding! Amy will talk about the highs and lows of all the kids leaving the home. From less laundry to cheaper grocery bills. However it takes some time to forget about homework, extracurricular activities and carpools. Some parents will say it is hard to make that shift.
Amy offers advice for "mastering the art of transition."
1) Embrace the change and don’t resist it
This is a new season of life and allows you the time to grow and explore. Just as our kids begin their new adventure, it’s your time as well. You’ve invested so much time over the years, now’s the time to invest in yourself.
2) Don’t become too predictable - engage in the unexpected!
Take the risk - push the envelope. There is no need to be searching for school holidays, or planning around tournaments, if you want to take a trip to Mexico in February, go ahead and book it.
3) Recognize Parenting Is Still Needed
Even when your kids are out of the house, they still need you. There is nothing better than the unexpected phone call from you kid as they prepare for a test, and need a little “You got this” message from Mom, or of course the cooking or laundry questions that seem to be a call that is made often.
4) Allow Yourself to Cry
This is so important - give yourself permission to be sad. It is a time you will feel a sense of loneliness. When you have a moment when you just need a good cry - allow those emotions to flow. Pick up the phone and call them, or send them a text and let them know you’re thinking about them.
5) Rekindle Things With Your Partner / Reconnect with friends
It's not uncommon for your marriage to get pushed aside when you're raising kids. Now that your nest is empty, it's the perfect time to focus on your relationship again. Set aside time to do things together and include date nights into your plans.
Unfortunately, about 25 percent of divorces in the U.S. occur when couples reach the kids-to-college stage in their marriage, so make a commitment to each other and invest time doing things you both enjoy.