9 Tips for Developing a Routine When Your Children Leave Home

He would play the guitar and sing.  I would cry.

 

We would watch football.  I would leave the room to cry.

At dinnertime, I would feel my eyes tearing up and wanted to cry.

Soon, he wouldn’t be there. He would so be moving out of the house and out of town, to attend University.

I was so proud of our oldest son, starting the next phase of his life.  It truly was a joyful occasion, yet I couldn’t help from feeling so down. When speaking to other moms in a similar situation, I learned that I wasn’t alone in my sorrow.

“No one tells you that the hardest part of motherhood is when your kids grow up”, I recently read on a Facebook post.

“How true.”

Our children grow into independent adults.  It’s an unavoidable reality.  However, it is emotionally difficult when it comes time for a mother to separate from her children. Women nurture; we take care of our family. We support them and quite often, place the needs of others, before our own.  It’s what we do.

Adapting to change can be difficult.  What can help you to overcome the emptiness when it’s time for our kids to leave the nest?

A routine.  Fill your day.  Whether it is a job, hobby, volunteer position, fitness activity, taking a course, develop a routine that satisfies your goals and interests.

Before you know it, you will introduce new things into your life and your new routine will become the norm.

Remember, your happiness is important.  A routine can make it happen.

Here are a few ideas and tips to overcome your emotional ghettoä and take control of your life:

  • Wake up at the same time every day
  • Start your day with something that you enjoy
  • Plan meals the day before so that you know what to take out of the freezer or what to buy on the way home from work
  • Set personal and professional goals
  • Write your goals and make a commitment to commit to achieve what you have listed
  • Keep a schedule posted that lists the activities of all family members. Write in your activities and don’t erase them.
  • Try something new
  • Talk to a friend about your feelings to sort through emotions that may be preventing you from moving forward
  • Schedule a daily chat with your children

If you find yourself in a new situation and are not sure how you will cope, a coach can help you sort through your emotions, establish concrete ideas and establish a routine for a smooth and happy transition.

~ Lisa