They had four children. Now, they are all married and away from home. They live in different cities. The parents are experiencing what some call the empty nest. The husband seems to be doing well with it, but his wife is struggling. She is having an identity crisis. She no longer feels needed as a mother. Her role in life has drastically changed. The house seems so silent and empty. Everything has changed.
Family transitions are sometimes difficult. The empty nest is more difficult for some than others. Fathers may adjust better than mothers. The gender difference is often obvious. In many families the father is more of a provider and the mother is more of a caregiver.
Family transitions often bring a grief process. After all, things are never going to be the same again. There is the loss of a lifestyle pattern. Relational changes require adjustments. Adult children are moving on with their lives. This is God's plan. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife" (Genesis 2:24).
Family transitions can put stress on a marriage, or it can be a time of renewal in the marriage bond. As a couple, they now have more time for each other. Their relationship can be enriched. The husband can be a source of strength for his wife as she expresses her emotions. She needs him to understand.
The role of parents is always needed. Sure, the role changes. The adult children need the parents in a new way. They still need the encouragement and advice of parents, but the parents must let go of control. Their relationship is now changed to an adult to adult level. Parents must allow them to put away childish things. "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1 Corinthians 13:11).
Family transitions are sometimes difficult. The empty nest is more difficult for some than others. Fathers may adjust better than mothers. The gender difference is often obvious. In many families the father is more of a provider and the mother is more of a caregiver.
Family transitions often bring a grief process. After all, things are never going to be the same again. There is the loss of a lifestyle pattern. Relational changes require adjustments. Adult children are moving on with their lives. This is God's plan. "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife" (Genesis 2:24).
Family transitions can put stress on a marriage, or it can be a time of renewal in the marriage bond. As a couple, they now have more time for each other. Their relationship can be enriched. The husband can be a source of strength for his wife as she expresses her emotions. She needs him to understand.
The role of parents is always needed. Sure, the role changes. The adult children need the parents in a new way. They still need the encouragement and advice of parents, but the parents must let go of control. Their relationship is now changed to an adult to adult level. Parents must allow them to put away childish things. "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things" (1 Corinthians 13:11).
