The solo parent’s bond with a child can be incredibly strong-- for many reasons. Maybe the child spent more time with one parent, or there’s a loss due to the death of a parent that has created a crucial connection. So, what happens when that child grows up and leaves the nest? Does a solo parent’s empty nest syndrome hurt more?
I received a message from a solo mom whose daughter is going off to college. She spoke about the feeling of loss in a way that hit me hard. I’m not there yet-- my kid is in middle school-- but her daughter is leaving the nest. “I feel like I’m losing my right arm,” she said. I’m going to address this type of grief in this episode and look at how we cope with different levels of grief in a few episodes here, because people in our tent of divorced, widowed, blended and solo-by-choice families deal with grief with a frequency and intensity that parents in traditional families don’t necessarily have to.
In this episode, we talk about…
[0:43] The solo parent’s relationship with grief
[2:38] Becoming aware that you are experiencing feelings of loss, and taking time for self care
[4:58] Being proactive
[5:41] Getting enough exercise
[6:49] Taking it one day at a time
Whether saying goodbye for a few days, a month away, or for a semester at school, when a kid leaves a solo parents’ home, it’s a meaningful event. You don’t need to combat the feelings. But easing into acceptance of the situation will help you spread your wings, Solo Nation, while your kids are spreading theirs.
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