My friend's daughter is leaving for college for the first time and she's having empty nest syndrome. How can I help her through it?
My friend's daughter is leaving for college for the first time and she's having empty nest syndrome. How can I help her through it?
user
That's so tough, I'm sorry to hear that. It's really natural for children to have a mix of feelings when they're on the verge of moving out. My parents often describe feeling a mix of excitement and sadness when I left for college, and I think that's pretty common. I think having to adjust to empty-nesting is something parents struggle with for years afterwards, so even if it's difficult now, it's only the start of a new phase of your life.  What are some positive things she is feeling?
assistant
Well, she's excited to have more free time
user
That's a great first step!  And being excited is part of what makes change positive.  I'm also excited for her to have more free time to pursue her interests, she sounds like a great mom to me.
assistant
But she's still sad and lonely. How can I help her?
user
Let's start with what's positive. Is there anything she's looking forward to, like friends or career opportunities?
assistant
She's thinking about going back to work, and of course she likes her friends
user