<p>Am I the only one who hates the bird analogy? My youngest child just graduated from high school , and in the past few weeks every conversation I’ve had about it (and there have been many) includes the phrase “empty nest”. And I haven’t been the one using it.</p>
<p>Who has any ideas about an alternate phrase I could fire back at people?</p>
<p>Victory Lap
I Can Take a Vacation in September</p>
<p>The “Finally” family.</p>
<p>hmm, interesting food for thought: I’m thinking of takes on other cliche’s:
you are entering a period of “Midlife Opportunity”;
or that of your “Second Adulthood”.
Maybe this will get someone else thinking of a really catchy phrase…</p>
<p>Now that you’ve got me thinking about it, it’s a silly phrase, don’t most bird parents abandon the nest after the young fly away?</p>
<p>Party Heaven
The Schedule-less Life
The Stays Tidy Life
The Constant Vacationer
Back to the life you led in your early 20s
Naked In Your Own House Life</p>
<p>I like the analogy- especially since the fledglings return for the summer. They spread their wings a bit, retreat and hopefully move out for good one day (I am noticing the vastly increased power, water and food consumption in recent weeks). It does feel empty at first when they leave, my home is my nest- all comfy… And beware- you don’t have quite the freedom you thought you did, instead of daily doings you better make sure you can pick them up for vacations, have the funds to deposit in their school accounts when needed… We plan to abandon the nest when son has definitely gone, we will need to downsize eventually as our house is family, not couple sized.</p>
<p>“Free at last.”</p>
<p>If you have 3 or more kids, be sure to add, “Thank God Almighty” and say it again.</p>
<p>finally get my life back!
can finally live my life again!
ohmy… i get to do what i want now that i’ve finally grown up!
sigh… i can breathe again… sort of…
this is my life now!
i get to live!</p>
<p>Hah! Thanks all, I’ll share these with the FB (father-bird) of the nest.</p>
<p>Don’t get too comfortable. When birds leave the nest, they’re gone for good. Kids come home for the summer and have turned our blissfully quiet household into the constant chaos it was before they left. We’re already counting the days till they go back! I’m trying to remember what it was I was crying over when they left.</p>
<p>Make sure you don’t have boomerang kids before you declare your nest empty. :)</p>
<p>boomerang kids = you throw them out and they keep coming back</p>
<p>Not only do I look forward to downsizing my house, but also my car! No more people movers! Maybe something without a backseat!</p>
<p>Calmom, you made me laugh out loud and that’s JUST what I’m gonna say! (espec funny as a clergy wife). And perhaps add, “I have SEEN the promised land…” (Dr. MLK)</p>
<p>In truth, I’m not sure how many people DO live here. I’ve been calling my house “An Accordian” because it expands and contracts all through the year. I noticed it when we had to buy a kitchen table and didn’t know how many seats to get. We’re settling on those insertable leaves to enlarge it, and the hinges to drop a piece down. One of the few things my H and I fight about, BTW; he only wants a great big table for 6 (us plus a friend) to fill up the eat-in kitchen area. I’m ready for tete-a-tete, at least on SOME days.</p>
<p>Isn’t there an old expression, in response to the weighty question, “When does life begin?” Answer: Life begins when the last child leaves home and the dog dies.</p>
<p>My folks didn’t do the happy dance until the last tuition bill was paid. And they called it too early; a sib crashed at home again for a year following a divorce; I returned for a few months between college and grad school; other sib drops off his children there for babysitting… it’s not over til it’s over.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Heh. Bought one of these for WashMom in March: <a href=“http://www.roadstersway.com/images/stories/cars_images/mazda-mx5.jpg[/url]”>http://www.roadstersway.com/images/stories/cars_images/mazda-mx5.jpg</a></p>
<p>The kids’ basement playroom is soon going to be converted into rehearsal space for WashMom’s theater work, and I’m pricing an expansion to my workshop (the garage).</p>
<p>And our youngest is a sophomore in high school next year. Our nest isn’t empty yet, but we’re planning ahead.</p>
<p>Back on topic:</p>
<p>I like “Free at last.” How about:</p>
<p>The wonder years
The wander years
Watching whatever you want on TV epoch</p>
<p>haha calmom–that was EXACTLY my response when people asked me how I felt about the empty next six months ago…it is very freeing…</p>
<p>You’re not the only one who isn’t fond of that expression. If one more person asks me what I’m going to do now that the nest is almost empty I will throw some eggs in their general direction!</p>
<p>If someone does phrase it as a question how about “Whatever I want!”<br>
Said with a smile, of course. ;)</p>
<p>From a friend who has missed her son this year (he’s at OSU) but is enjoying her alone time (she’s single):</p>
<p>The Eat Cereal for Supper if You Feel Like It Life</p>
<p>The I Can Leave My Clean Laundry on the Couch and Hang it Up Later
Life, also known as The I Don’t Have to Be a Role Model at the Moment Life</p>
<p>The No Need to Close the Bathroom Door Life</p>
<p>The I Can Go to Bed at 8:30 p.m. if I Feel Tired Without Being Mocked
Life</p>
<p>I was supposed to be a good laundry role model all these years? Oops.</p>
![http://www.roadstersway.com/images/stories/cars_images/mazda-mx5.jpg[/url]](http://www.roadstersway.com/images/stories/cars_images/mazda-mx5.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
