Preparing ourselves for the empty nest phase isn’t always easy. Parents typically spend more time and effort focusing on getting their kids ready for their next chapter and spending little or no time preparing themselves. In this week’s episode, I welcome my friend and fellow podcaster, Colleen Rosenblum to the show. Colleen has a lot of wisdom and insight to share based on her own journey to becoming an empty nester. During our conversation, Colleen stresses the importance of parents thinking about and preparing for their own life once their kids are out of the house. We talk about how to adjust when your young adult kids pivot their plans and end up living at home again. And we discuss how to find joy and connection with our kids while they are living at home due to the pandemic.
About Colleen Rosenblum
Colleen Rosenblum is a mom of two twenty-something daughters, wife, and podcaster. She is co-host of Hot Flashes & Cool Topics, a podcast for women in midlife and beyond. On the show, she and her co-host Bridgett talk about anything and everything to do with midlife women. Colleen is a former lawyer, stay at home mom, and Pilates instructor. She loves to learn and to challenge the old narratives that limit women from experiencing new adventures at any stage of life. She is obsessed with her family, her pets, Netflix, and travel.
Episode Highlights
- Have something to look forward to when your kids move out
- When your child doesn’t love the college they chose
- Some kids aren’t meant to go to college right out of high school
- When the empty next looks more like a revolving door
- Finding a balance between knowing enough and hearing too much
- Parenting teens and young adults through challenging times
- Five ways to connect with grown kids while they are home
- Colleen’s advice for almost-empty nesters
Resources
Hot Flashes & Cool Topics Website and Podcast