<p>After 21 years of fairly intense parenting - homeschooled kids through middle-school, did the BSA/chaperone/involved parent thing after that - and going through all the senior year stuff - college apps & decisions, senioritis, etc., etc, I am going to be so happy to have son #3 walk across that platform in June.</p>
<p>I know for some folks it’s bittersweet, but for me, right now, it’s just looking pretty sweet.</p>
<p>I love my kids. I know I’ll miss them. But I really feel ready to take on the next stage of my life. Maybe it’s the 3 kids 2 years apart thing - at the end each stage I was READY to move on. After 7 years of diapers I was READY to move to little boy stuff. Now THAT stage (boys appx 4-11) could have lasted a little longer… exhausting but lots of fun. But now I’ve had teens for almost 10 years, and I’m ready to be an empty nester.</p>
<p>How are you feeling if this is your last kid. How does it affect your feelings if it’s kid #1, 2, 3, 4, or (god bless you!!!) even more?</p>
<p>My youngest started college this Fall and I’m with you, I’m ready for chapter 2. I love my three dearly and want to have lots of time with them, but DH and I have been planning for these years and have a lot of exciting changes on the horizon.</p>
<p>Being an empty nester has its advantages, but… sometimes I really miss the kids. We got a new dog. That helps. </p>
<p>Now that the kids don’t need us much, the parents need us a lot. Both mother and MIL have been in the hospital for operations, emergencies, etc, which is so much less fun than caring for your kids. (sorry, mom) </p>
<p>After two years of freedom from kids, I have to say I’m ready for Chapter 3.
Grandkids.
I have to wait a few more years for that, however.</p>
<p>My youngest left home for university this fall and it did take some conscious awareness to adjust the first few weeks, then we took a trip the two of us and when we came home any weirdness was gone, we settled into a new routine.</p>
<p>Having a home office, I feel like I am way more efficient now without any one around distracting me (I liked the distractions, don’t get me wrong)</p>
<p>With 3 in university though, there is not much money for us to go have grown up fun!</p>
<p>My oldest has been gone for three years. The youngest graduates this Spring. I will really miss having her around. Today we met with some people who may want to take her horse…she can’t take her to college so we have begun the hunt for a new home.<br>
It is hard to think that all those years spent at the barn with her and with her horse are going to be over soon.<br>
I’m looking forward to new things and hoping that DH will work less and spend more time with me but it’s still a huge step.<br>
My friends have Grandkids and I am jealous but definitely want my own kids to wait until they are much older to have children.</p>
<p>All my friends who have daughters seem to feel that they are leaving just as they were getting to be great friends again after the mid-teen yuck. They miss their lunch and shopping buddies. </p>
<p>I have three boys, and we’re together a lot, and get along well and enjoy each other’s company (when I’m not being a pain…) but they don’t go to chick flicks or shoe shopping with me. So when they go, I won’t be missing that, since I didn’t have it in the first place.</p>
<p>What I miss, (and it’s gone already, except for when the older two are home from school) is the three of them together. They have such a great vibe, and get silly, and have a shared history of adventures etc… Of course they destroy the house and eat all the food in about 5 minutes, and it’s awful loud awful late (especially if they have decided to play Settlers or Carcasonne or Risk) but I really love it when they are all home.</p>
<p>mom2three, yup. I think there is a huge difference between girls and boys. At least in my family. My son takes up more space in the house, noise wise, etc. DD has gotten to the ponit where she is a shopping and lunch buddy, someone to go to a chick flick with, etc.<br>
I have some great girlfriends (Thank God) and have been working hard to make some acquaintances better friends. I recognize that my husband doesn’t want to be my girlfriend, doesn’t want to chat, doesn’t want to go to chick flicks, etc.</p>
<p>My youngest is in his first year of college. I too felt very relieved when he got that h.s diploma. I was ready for that stage to be over. I’m not expecting the next stage to be perfect. It already isn’t (academic probation anyone??) but it is different and I like it.</p>
<p>I have two S’s and truly believe that there are different emotions when boys leave versus girls. Once my boys got their part-time jobs and driver’s license, we saw very little of them. They were not interested in doing stuff with Mom and Dad so much anymore. They began to pull away and create their own lives separate fr. us.<br>
While that sometimes ticked me off, I see now that it was really preparing me for them to leave for good.</p>
