Sooner or later, all mothers (and fathers) have to face itthe Empty Nest! No matter if we have one child or a dozen, the day will finally come when the last one is old enough to move out on his or her own, and our full-time, intense job of mothering will end. How will we face it? Multitudes of Baby Boomers are dealing with this reality right now! Whether you were home full time with your children, or juggled the work/family role, if you are a Boomer, your kids have left, or will be leaving soon. Is this something you are dreading or looking forward to? Or is it a combination of both? The role of a mother is unlike any other. No matter how involved the father is in the care and nurturing of the children, if it is a two parent household, isnt it generally the mother who bears the largest part of the job? After all, when the school calls about a sick child, isnt it usually the mother who gets the call, regardless of her employment situation and distance from the school? And if the kid gets in trouble, doesnt society generally look first in the mothers direction to place the blame? Regardless of whatever else we may be doing in life, motherhood is usually our primary role. So, when the chicks are big enough to leave the nest, what happens to Mom? How does she adjust to the changes that this will bring about in her life? Plenty of Baby Boomer women are finding that out, first-hand right now! Sure, Boomer Women are a product of the womens movement and the changes that it brought about in womens roles. We took to the workforce in ever increasing numbers, and broke stereotypes, broke records, and broke barriers. Yet, still, many of us became mothers, and with that came all the age-old emotions, maternal bonds, and instinctive reactions to our offspring. Lots of us experienced the stress of being full-time mothers AND full-time career women. It may come as a shock to many women that they are profoundly saddened by the Empty Nest. If a woman was a full-time at home mother, her main focus of every day is no longer therewho wouldnt be unsettled and sad? The career woman may be surprised, however, at how sad she feels when her kids leave home. Even though she had other demands on her time, motherhood is such a deep-rooted part of the female experience, that the Empty Nest is something that affects all mothers to some degree. After all, this is a transition into a different phase of life. As any woman who has given birth can tell you, the transition phase of labor is the most difficult part. So, women going through the Empty Nest experience are in the transition phase of birthing themselves into a new era. And it can be tough! While it may take some women by surprise, the pain can be intense, and may take some time to fade away. The Empty Nest is part of the human experience, and many Baby Boomers are going through it right now. Some will find it more difficult than others, but all will be touched by it in some way. Prepare for it, understand it, allow yourself to feel it without guilt or self-criticism, and reach out to others for support and understanding. Soon enough you may find that the Empty Nest now has room in it for you to spread your own wings and have experiences that you did not have the time or energy for before. |
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