Empty Nesters: Be intentional. Dream. Commit to a New Life Together
Empty Nesters Preparation Guide
The best way for empty nesters to prepare is to invest in the relationship before the kids fly the coop. So, whether you are headed toward the empty nest or already there, use these ideas to grow closer together and enjoy having an empty nest.
Mark a New Chapter!
Don’t wait until the kids are gone to start dreaming about how life and your home will look like when the kids are gone. Imagine what it will be like with just the two of you again. What will you do with the extra space you have? What will the bedrooms become? In other words, do something that marks a new chapter.
It’s ok to start this process before becoming empty nesters.
Make New Plans Together
Make and pursue new plans together that wouldn’t have been practical with the kids at home. Don’t wait until the kids are gone to begin new things together. You don’t have to have a gaping hole where the kids used to be. Start doing things together now. Go ahead and have that Bible study at the house, take dance lessons together, or volunteer together.
Make Spontaneous Plans
If you aren’t empty nesters already, this one’s for you! One day, the kids will be gone. Take overnight trips on a whim to get a glimpse of what it will be like. They will remind you of the freedom you will have to come and go without worrying about the kids’ schedules.
If you’re already an empty nester but aren’t taking advantage of this, you should! A little adventure increases intimacy in marriage. Fun marriage retreats are perfect for whisking yourselves away for a night or two.
Create the “Us” Calendar
I bet you have a “family calendar.” It might even be on the refrigerator. It’s the one that has all the doctor’s appointments, school events, and family outings. However, you need the “us” calendar. Begin planning “us” events and build your new life together as an empty nester around your relationship.
Read here for some date ideas to put on your “us” calendar.
Be intentional. Dream. Commit to a new life together. Make new memories by investing in your marriage.
