Why You Should Prepare for an Empty Nest While Your Kids are Young

In this episode of the podcast I will share with you why you should prepare for an empty nest while your kids are young.

This topic is important because many people wake up at the end of their child-rearing years in an identity crisis.

I don’t want that to happen to you. So, today I will share with you some super-fun things that my husband and I have been doing to inspire and encourage you.

If you would like more inspiration, download my Ultimate Guide to Guilt-Free Self-Care HERE!

And join us in the Life Designed Community on Facebook! 

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to A Life Designed.
 
My name is Tina Haisman. I teach busy moms how to get everything done and still have time and energy for themselves. My passion is for helping women create more heart-to-heart connection with their husband and children so they can feel deeply fulfilled in those most important relationships.
 
The topic of today’s podcast is …
 
Why You Should Prepare for an Empty Nest While Your Kids Are Young
 
But before we get started, I have something for you. It is my Ultimate Guide to Guilt-Free Self-Care. It’s a Guide to help you take care of yourself in mind, body and spirit so you can feel like your best self every day. Visit my website tinahaisman.com to download it.
 
I would also like to invite you to my private group on Facebook where you can come to get positive inspiration for your life. Search A Life Designed in the facebook search bar.
 
Now let’s Dive IN and talk about how … 
 
Why You Should Prepare for an Empty Nest While Your Kids Are Young
 
I can barely believe I am old enough to be talking about this topic, but here I am. Staring my soon-to-be empty nest in the face. One of my children is 19 and off in college, and the other is 16 and able to drive herself everywhere.
 
My husband and I have given nearly all of our time to our kids over the years and really tried to love them well so they could launch well. We’ve made a lot of sacrifices as individuals and as a couple so they could have a good life. I’m sure you feel the same way at your house.
 
My life coach from years ago would always remind me about preparing for the empty nest. Yes, even when my kids were little. She said you don’t want to suddenly wake up one day and look at your husband and not know who he is or what happened to the two of you.
 
She said you need to prepare for the empty nest time by working on yourself and your relationship throughout time.
 
Because many people wake up to their empty nest in an identity crisis. You think, “If I’m not mom to kids, who am I?”
 
So I wanted to record this podcast to encourage and inspire moms like me who are entering this new phase and for the younger moms, too. Because I don’t want you to suddenly wake up one day and not recognize yourself or the man in your bed.
 
And because working on your marriage relationship is a lifetime investment. Even though you are busy with your kids now, it will be a blessing to you later to put effort into having fun with your husband.
 
So, Paul and I have been having conversations about what we want this next season of our life to look like. We’re realizing we will have time on our hands for the first time in years where can both pursue things that are fun for us. So, that’s really the first question to think about. What is fun for you? What do you like to do? What did you do for fun before you had kids?
 
Those are some questions I’ve been asking myself. One of those things I landed on was that I love to travel and explore, and I love history and historical buildings.
 
So, Paul and I started having Sunday Funday’s where we hit the road looking for cute little towns in driving distance to explore. We have been having so much fun! And do you want to know what? Our children are cheering us on!
 
One Sunday we headed out to Woodstock, the town where the movie Groundhog Day was filmed. It was really fun to walk around the cute little Victorian town square and see the spots where scenes happened in the movie. They also have a beautiful opera house that was built in 1885 that was fun to look at. While we were there we stopped for lunch and coffee at local restaurants, which was fun to patronize small businesses and live the local experience.
 
Another weekend we drove down to St. Charles which is on the Fox River. We had lunch at a cute restaurant on the river and walked along the river walk which is lined with a pretty park that was bustling. We also loved the historic buildings there including the Baker Hotel.
 
On another Sunday, we stayed closer to home and strolled through this quaint little village called Long Grove. We shopped at the cute stores and had an authentic German meal at what happens to be the oldest restaurant in the state of Illinois that is still in operation. It opened in 1847.
 
We also ventured down to another river town called Ottowa which is famous because it was the location of the first Lincoln-Douglas senatorial debate in 1858. It’s got a really pretty park in the center of town called Washington Square that has a fountain with a huge bronze statue of Lincoln and Douglas. We also had a great meal at a local brewery there and toured a 22-room mansion that was built in 1855. Very cool.
 
Finally, this past weekend we went to a pumpkin farm by ourselves. That seems so weird, because that’s what families with little kids do, but we know of an awesome pumpkin farm that is super-cute and has ginormous pumpkins, so we headed out and had fun just the two of us. I titled my Instagram caption – while the kids are away, the parents will play.
 
And that’s what we’re doing. We’re launching into a new time of play and fun. And I’m so excited about that.
 
I hope these things we are doing now to have fun and try new things will give us a more solid foundation for the future.
 
In addition to doing these fun things together, we plan to both be exploring things that we will do on our own for fun. Experts say that’s just as important as the things you do together because it’s good for you as an individual and it gives you something to talk about when you come back together.
 
So if you’re hearing this right now. What’s your takeaway? What can you do with this information? My prayer is that you will take it to heart and start working on your relationship with the end in mind. What would it be like to schedule a fun date with your husband – something new and different that you’ve never done before?
 
How great would it feel for you to go do something fun just for you? One of the ways I’ve been working on this is by going to the Botanic Gardens near my home. Sometimes I go alone. Sometimes I bring a friend. It’s just something I love doing and I do it for myself.
 
Taking care of your marriage is so important. If you would like help taking care of your marriage so it will last, ask for help! Reach out to me for a complimentary consultation and we will come up with a plan so you can feel peace and know your marriage is healthy and prepared for the long haul.
 
Thank you so much for listening!