There will come a time when your children leave home for the first time, whether to go to university or to move into their own home. You feel a range of emotions from pride to emptiness, joy to sadness, and maybe a terrible sense of fear. Maybe you have a feeling of emptiness and abandonment, or feeling surplus to requirement.
This feeling of loss when a child leaves home is perfectly normal.
Many parents have a sense of loss and grieving when their child or children leave home for the first time. Quite often, this results in a type of depression commonly known as empty nest syndrome. One option is to visit your doctor where you may be offered counselling, talking therapy, or medication.
Parents, you brought this tiny, helpless baby into the world. You provided food, shelter and emotional wellbeing and stability. You watched as they took their first steps, cut that first tooth and kept a lock of hair from their first haircut. You cradled them and washed down their scrapes when they stumbled and fell. You taught them the alphabet, how to count, and the colours of the rainbow. You changed their nappies, washed their clothes, and have been around for their whole lives. Who knows your child better than you?
Our Basic Needs
Family falls within one of our most important needs – safety and security.
As a parent, it makes sense you are filled with emotion when your time and focus for 18 years or more has been on the baby you have so tenderly loved and cared for in so many ways. It is natural to have an overwhelming fear. As your emotions and thoughts start to race away, you begin to make up all sorts of stories of how they will not be able to cope without you.
But think of this. Do you remember when you left home? How did your mother react?
You got there, though, right? You grew up and managed to have your own family quite successfully. Now it is your children’s turn to have the opportunity to get it wrong and learn new lessons on their way.
We all know you will still be there to clean their grazes and dry their tears when asked. In the meantime, I can support you through all the overwhelming emotions and give you strategies that will last a lifetime.
Contact me today to find out how I can help you.
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