From Business Insider · Cheryl Maguire · · 2m
Three kids, one college, one empty nest
A mother adjusts to life without her children after all three enroll at Fordham University in New York.
In brief
A mother adjusts to life without her children after all three enroll at Fordham University in New York. A mother of three finds comfort in planning trips and connecting with other empty nesters after her youngest joins her twin siblings at Fordham University. Originally reported by Business Insider.
All three at Fordham
A mother's youngest daughter has joined her twin siblings at Fordham University in New York. People ask if she is happy about one drop-off, but the transition has been harder than expected.
The silence after they left
After moving her children into their dorms, the mother returned home to an indescribable emptiness. Her husband noticed the change immediately, saying, "There's no singing anymore." Her youngest daughter had always sung at home.
“There's no singing anymore.”
Cleaning as coping
The mother deep-cleaned all her children's bedrooms and donated extra items like sheets, blankets, and towels. Her youngest called it "a very empty nest thing to do." Having control over something made her feel a little better.
“That sounds like a very empty nest thing to do.”
Music fills the void
The mother's husband played an Ariana Grande song in their daughter's room to make it feel like she was still there. Hearing the music actually helped the mother cope with the emptiness of the house.
Finding community with other empty nesters
The mother connected with friends also experiencing empty nest. They discussed their new normal and agreed to meet for meals and organize an empty-nest gathering. Having something to look forward to has helped her adjust.
Planning a trip to Greece
The mother has loved traveling since her twenties and has taken family cruises on Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line. She is now planning a trip to Greece with just her husband on a Celebrity Cruise, an adult-oriented line.
Letting them fly
The mother's husband told her, "We need to let them fly." Her youngest has not experienced typical homesickness because she was already familiar with the campus from visiting her siblings and has been busy with classes and activities.
“We need to let them fly.”
Sibs dinner and future visits
All three children have kept up weekly dinner meetups called sibs dinner, short for siblings. The mother asked them for a first-day-of-classes picture and they sent it. She is considering showing up unannounced to their next sibs dinner.
The headline
A mother of three finds comfort in planning trips and connecting with other empty nesters after her youngest joins her twin siblings at Fordham University.
