I'm about to become an "empty nester." How did you handle it? I want to cry!?

you cope with it by celebrating! He's grown, you have done your job and you have done it successfully!

But it's not over yet. He may be moving out but, he's still going to need his mother and you will be surprised at how much he's going to need you.

Hell, I'm 32. I lived overseas for a couple of years and have been everything from broke to wealthy. I still call my mother every other day and see her every week. She's been through everything that I'm going through and I value her input and advice. And besides, she's my mother. I have the same relationship with my father, too.

You might want to consider moving to a smaller home or repurposing parts of your current home to suit your interests. Congratulations! You have arrived at the point in life where you should be busy with doing for yourself. As a successful parent, you have earned it!

But really, no parent is ever ready for it. When he leaves, you're going to cry a lot and it's going to be difficult at first. But do the right thing and support him and make sure he knows you're going to be there for him whenever he needs you.

There's a lot he needs to do before he and his friends can move out. The need jobs, furniture, cars and realistic plans for their futures. He may be thinking it now but, it's going to be a while most likely.

Oh lord- deal with it now before he gets married! I'm a victim of an empty-nester- my mother in law! She's terrible. I'm not sure if she realizes she does it, but she is the most possessive, controlling, annoying person I know!

I saw some REALLY GOOD INFO. on Dr. Phil's website on this today. Try doing a search on mother in law's and empty nests. It said that you need to let your children grow up and take control of their own lives. Be proud of them, but don't interfere and call too much and demand visits. It said that if you ask for visits and get too close, you will just be giving yourself a pain pill that will only temporarily relieve your "empty nest" syndrome at your child's expense. Please be supportive, don't hold your son back, just guide him in becoming the best college student out there. I wish both of you luck!

You certainly have my understanding. You need to cry. It is a very sad time in our lives when our child (my only one) decided he was in love with a precious girl in Florida. He moved to her home town, got a job, apartment and dated her for four years before they married.

I grieved as if there had been a death in the family. I still miss the fact that he's not here. It was so bad that his room is exactly as he left it.

I tried never to let him know the pain I was in, because his happiness was of utmost importance to me.

I've cried through every significant step of his life, and I guess I always will. To fill some of the emptiness I feel, hobbies became an obsession to me. Staying busy has helped me more than anything!

Be strong, you will survive, and will have so many fond memories of all the wonderful times you shared and will share in the future! He may relocate, but you'll always be him Mom and his "soft place" to fall!

Keep telling yourself that you have prepared your son for this time in his life and think of different ways to have him visit at least once a week or twice a month.

Like I fixed your special dinner or deserts and I know you must be wanting them.

How about coming over and we'll do your laundry together and have a treat while we are doing it.

I raised 4 and am living by myself today.

Do I miss them , the minute they each walked out the door, and even before their car back out the driveway. I had it bad, and thought no one could take over where I left off.

I sent little notes , not nagging or acting pitiful but upbeat and excited for their new life, wasn't a bit but wanted to believe it.

This way they feel you have accepted the next level of their life and you will be included in their experiences and phone calls and visits will pursue. I now have their babies that visit and over night too. have three of them coming tonight and am very excited about that.

Please know it does get better , and as long as you stay positive to them and excited to hear their stories ....... it will go much better and the pain turns into joy........

When my younger sister moved out my parents finally had time to focus on them. They both found more time for the hobbies they enjoyed. More energy to put into their work. And more time to spend together. Keeping busy, trying new things and planning visits might be just what the doctor ordered. Along with a large dose of the knowledge that you've raised a son well enough that he *can* move out at all.

I'm no mom, cause I'm 19 LOL!! But I just moved out and I was an only child and it was so hard on my mom cause I was her one and only. She tried to literally pack up and move in with me for a month or so, so I could be "settled" but I profusely refused saying it was insane with a giggle so she'd not think I was a big meanie LOL. Finally I did move out and she calls me night and day, but I think what's helped her is that she knows she can call me whenever she wants and can come over to see me anytime she wants, she knows my friends, knows my routine and knows I'm always going to be there for her no matter what and I'm just a phone call away. Besides.. I told her she always wanted a kid she could be proud of and stand on their own two feet one day.. well that was the day, and I did indeed make her proud.. I felt it in my lil' pea pickin' heart LOL! =D Also, I told my mom that I'd always call her nightly so she'd know I was home safe and I wasn't hurt or sick. But mostly cause I wanted her to know that I love her and I was still her baby and I miss her lots but I like where I'm at and LOVE my new space to explore and finally be miss independant learning and setting new boundaries. So.. yeah. Maybe you could remember this? That even if your kids leave the don't forget about you and they're thinking of you just as much as you think of them cause half the time we don't know what to do with ourself and sometimes wish we were back home but don't let anyone know! LOL =D So.. yeah! Remember that too!! Hope all goes well for you... I know it will!! Lots of Love.. XO

This other person can inhabit your same body because that is what we do when we create personas around our spirit. We start to believe that we are the straight A student, who is popular, cute and has loads of friends, or the pimply, nerd, who walks the halls looking at the floor. We become these people fully, and they are not us at all, only impostors. We are pure divine love, god and goddess, manifested in human form.

My kids haven't left yet, but I feel your pain. I am dreading this day. Millions of mom's have been where you are. You will get though this. How about a puppy to care for or maybe volunteering in a daycare or hospital? It will keep you busy and you can be a mommy to everyone!!!

It's perfectly normal to feel that way but I certainly hope you are not putting that on your child at all. It is their life now to live as they choose-as you wanted when you were that age. My suggestion- go ahead and cry ( in private) and then find something enjoyable and worthwhile for the rest of your life.

My mom was the same way. You have to let him go sometime, you don't want him being an old man still living with his mother. Let him move out and visit him from time to time. Maybe even help him move.