Emptynesting | Fab after Fifty | Information and inspiration for women over 50

How to fill the void when the kids leave home.

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Article by Anna Letitia Cook Do you have that empty feeling? Does it seem that there isn’t any real purpose behind what you do? I still have that and my children are now 25 and 26 years old. I would never class myself as the maternal type, I definitely don’t do the goo-goo gaa-gaa bit with babies, and to this day if you get someone who starts talking about starting a family, nappies, how cutie-pie did their first whatever, you will either see me glazing over to zombiehood or, much more likely, beating Usain Bolt in the race to get out the door… Having said that, my children are the most fabulous children that ever walked this earth and I would do anything, anytime, anywhere for them, and to...
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What’s more upsetting, your children moving out or moving back in?

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Article by Fab after Fifty You work hard to raise good kids who will be able to make it on their own once they arrive in the real world. And although it can be a heart breaking day when they finally leave the nest, it’s also a moment to feel proud and look forward to the next stage in your time as a parent. You get to see your kids forge careers and become independent adults; maybe one day you’ll even have grandchildren to enjoy. So it can be a bit of an unexpected surprise when one or more of your kids returns home long term. But the fact is this is happening more and more. And it’s not because we’re not preparing them for the world or because they...
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The Fab 50s – Managing the new Chapter of your Life

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Article by Carole Spiers Being over 50 can be the beginning of a new chapter in your life; a time of growth and a period of regeneration. Middle age may be upon you but you have the experience and possibly the lines on your face that go with it! Of course, you might wish that they weren’t there but that is another story! However, they are there and each one tells the tale of your life’s experience. The post 50’s chapter brings not only experience but also brings you greater influence. This is a time when reality starts biting and the dreams that you had when you were younger may now be drifting away into the mists of early romantic visions. Having now faced the hard realities of life and the work required...
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Home for Christmas – your child, homesickness and how to handle it.

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Article by Caroline Carr Has your son or daughter just finished their first term at university or college? How have they been? And how have you been? Has the break away from you been tricky or traumatic, or has it been absolutely fine? Lots of young people will not allow themselves to admit to being homesick - yet I reckon many long to be back with their families for ages after they have ‘left home.’ This can fuel or even trigger anxiety and/or depression sometimes. And you might never know, because they don’t tell you. I had a client who had a promising career, but had developed what I believe was a Generalised Anxiety Disorder whilst at University. She had told no-one, but her student life was...
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Are we sending our children off to University not knowing how to boil and egg?

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Article by Fabafterfifty It seems we are sending our children off to university with many of them not knowing how to boil an egg or do their own washing according to a new survey. Hopefully they won’t starve as they learn how to bake potatoes or learn how to use the washing machine (it seems many mums can expects visits home with the ‘pleasure’ of handling the dirty washing! But even if they have not quite managed to come grips with the iron or tumble dryer, there are gadgets they are more than capable of using, such as mobile phones and laptops, so you can expects calls, texts , emails and messages via social media to keep you up to date with their progress. Better at setting up laptops than using the vacuum cleaner Staggeringly,...
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How to cope with the changes an Empty Nest brings

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Article by Irene Brankin You may be approaching the ‘Empty Nest’ with dread, but as Irene Brankin explains, the empty nest can also open up a whole new world of possibilities: My business card has on the back of it “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans” (John Lennon) not only because it makes me smile but because of my own experience of just that in many different ways including illness, loss of different “hats” I held and my son leaving home for University and marriage. So yes, life has a way of pulling the rug from under you not only children leaving home (the Empty Nest Syndrome), but nowadays so many are losing their jobs, perhaps through no fault of their own, illness, divorce, death and, of course, everyday problems that can arise...
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How do we continue to act as role models for our adult children?

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Article by Jackie O’Carroll Part of getting older is being wiser about parenting – making a success of our lives, continuing to act as role models for our children. But sometimes it’s hard. Leaving our son and daughter in London, where they both live, we are heading back up north to Liverpool. Over the years I have learnt to let go. It’s not easy and I know that if they were living at home again full time it might be different. I know that they need their own space, that they need parents who believe in them and who encourage them to go - to make their own mistakes, their own success, their own lives. But it is still hard, watching them go, walking away to their own lives of which I...
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Letting go of Grown Up Kids

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Article by Diane Priestley Leaving home is a process. Sometimes we must rip off the band-aid fast and feel the sting; other times ease it off gently. Number One son, Daniel had launched himself into adult life in spectacular style a few years before. He is now a successful entrepreneur and acclaimed public speaker. A hard act to follow, but eventually it was his little sister’s turn. The first time our beautiful daughter, Justine left home she was 17, straight out of high school as a dazzling, award-scooping High Achiever. In a blaze of glory she moved to Brisbane city, an hour’s monotonous drive from our Sunshine Coast home. We helped her transport her stuff to the tiny flat with her gal pal and toasted her freedom with a cup of tea...
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Ten top tips for personal statement success for your child’s university application

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Article by Fabafterfifty Is your son or duaghter struggling with their personal statement as they complete their university application? The latest tips from UCAS will enable you to give them a helping hand. With the January 15 deadline fast approaching, UCAS has released these ten top personal statement tips for anyone applying to university or college. Christmas is a great time to put the finishing touches to the statement, which could be the only piece of written work admissions professionals see before making a decision. The writing should show applicants at their very best and following these ground rules should get you (or your son or daughter) off to a great start. 1. Express interest in the subject and show real passion UCAS adviser Ross Sanger said: “My major tip is to really show...
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How to Cope with Empty Nest Syndrome

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Article by Kay Newton Most people think that Empty Nest Syndrome is passing phase that happens to most parents particularly around September when children leave home to attend college or university for the first time. Recent studies show that this is not the case, contrary to belief most parents thrive when their children fly the nest. http://www.apa.org/monitor/apr03/pluses.aspx Yet for some women in particular the pain of watching a child leave home can be just as debilitating and as lengthy as bereavement. “First my father, now my youngest, I’ve lost him. I’ve lost them both” Sobbed Elaine. It took a while before the emotions stopped enough for a rational conversation. Yes her father had passed yet her children had only left home. In Elaine’s eyes there was no distinction. “I do...
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How to fill the void when the kids leave home.

What’s more upsetting, your children moving out or moving back in?

The Fab 50s – Managing the new Chapter of your Life

Home for Christmas – your child, homesickness and how to handle it.

Are we sending our children off to University not knowing how to boil and egg?

How to cope with the changes an Empty Nest brings

How do we continue to act as role models for our adult children?

Letting go of Grown Up Kids

Ten top tips for personal statement success for your child’s university application

How to Cope with Empty Nest Syndrome

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