Give Yourself Permission to Play This Summer By Natalie Caine M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert   Whether solo or with a friend, summer invites you to get out and see what you haven\’t had the chance to explore.   Our groups, which sometimes meet on the telephone, all agreed, that two days of getting out of town, lifted their spirits while in a transition.   They laughed at how some decisions –  like getting out of town – are easy yet others feel spin them into exhaustion. Here is a short list of what they have been doing: Visiting local gardens Kayaking  Enjoying... Read More

For Boomer Women It\’s Still Father\’s Day, Even If You\’ve Lost Your Dad By Natalie Caine M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert   Does the memory of your dad bring a smile?  It does for me.   In our group, many of us have lost our dad.  Still Father\’s Day is around the corner. Some treasure just this one more time with dad, Sunday, at their house, wondering if it will be the last Father\’s Day together.  Gratitude for another time to simply sit in the same room with dad even if he doesn\’t have much to say. Other parents love watching their little ones... Read More

By Natalie Caine M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert   When my daughter went 3,000 miles to college, I felt a spread of feelings.  Happy for her, excited that I, her mother was a part of her journey up to this door and empty from a role I loved and knew was shifting. I had a career, husband, friends, family, and lovely home.  I tell you that because I wasn’t void of a good life.  I was void of being with my daughter.  The daily, ordinary days of parenting and challenging hours of differences came to a sudden stop. No longer did I start my day attending to her needs and schedule.  What... Read More

Thanksgiving By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert The friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you. Elbert Hubbard Memories rise up. People we have spent time with and those we no longer can see, come visiting in our minds and hearts. Memories are a good thing. We fear the tears, the loneliness, and we long for connections. What I appreciate about the human spirit is we get to begin, again. We get to be brave and make up new traditions, break some rules, and allow who we are today to simply be happy. Some people have communities and others don\’t.... Read More

Change It Up By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert When I was in Boston last week, I tried something new. While walking, and this sounds silly I know, I would stop and look up. People in windows, staircases, cranes, flashing tall lights, birds and squirrels, shoes, the moon, stars, planes, lanterns, animals in the clouds. When I have the fun of taking photos, I photograph a different perspective rather than only what is right in front of me with the object. In my morning support group of transitions, we made a list of what we are going to do differently this week: 1. Not start... Read More

Why Don\’t More Parents Talk About Empty Nest? By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert This weekend kids are packing up and heading to college. Parents are shocked at the gut pain they are feeling, hugging goodbye. The “ugly cry” visits them at unpredictable times, like while marketing. Goodbye drops them into the reality that their parenting role will never be as it was before. They are kicked out of the kingdom with an unfamiliar role as parents. Parents are in the background, not leading, not seeing day to day, and not hearing the stories after school. It is... Read More

Saying Goodbye to Your College Bound Kids By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert In our parent group, I suggested each share what they will miss and what they look forward to when they aren\’t parents every day. I suggested they remember to allow different parts of them to speak, the confident one, the brave one, the sad one, the freedom one, etc. We forget we have so many parts within us when sadness grips. Tears are a great thing even though I have never met one person who likes to cry unless they are alone. Even alone, the beginning of tears feels the worst because you... Read More

Can You See The Bigger Picture? By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert Parents are on the countdown to goodbyes. When you are going through a transition, it helps to focus on the grander image of why you are choosing what you are choosing. 1. Do you need more energy?2. Is it time to explore a change of behaviors or people in your life?3. Whether chosen or given, change happens, so what is possible now for you?4. Who can help you?5. How do you make decisions, quickly or over time?6. What are your gifts and your limitations?7. How do you comfort yourself?8. What fears pop up about... Read More

Father\’s Day By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert None of these photos are my dad. They are my dad\’s imaginary best friends. I loved seeing him, just home from a match, club bag on arm and clicking sounding shoes, coming across the floor. Not his profession, his weekend obsession. If he wasn\’t in a game, as he grew frail, he and I would curl up, TV on high volume, cheering about something that I never did figure out, except when the white ball rolled on the green and into that circle. He wasn\’t into teaching. The match was his relaxation time.... Read More

Have You Had To Speak Up In A Difficult Situation? By Natalie Caine, M.A. NABBW’s Empty Nest Expert Did you speak up or let it be? A woman I worked with didn\’t think it was ok for her to share with her kids that she wanted what she wanted, which was to make her own choices about whether to travel or stay home. She used the words, wanted what she wanted because that was the unspoken truth. It is her choice and she forgot that thought. Yes, she heard all the reasons why she needed to go on a trip to “get out there” and yet she didn\’t think it was ok for them to... Read More