I've been working and raising my children for 20 years. My daughter is away at university now, but only lives in London so she comes home on weekends sometimes. My son is 16 and has two years left in school.
I vaguely realized that the kids were growing up, and I would be moving into a new phase of my life pretty soon (the old phase) but pushed it out of my mind.
Then my son Mikey went to London to do work experience for two weeks, and I suddenly had a taste of what life would be like when the kids were really gone.
I would be ALL ALONE with my husband for the rest of my life! I was panicked. Would life getting really boring now? Do we have anything left to say with each other? And would he want sex all the time now?
I couldn't handle that! I confessed my fears to him, and he laughed. On our first night alone, we watched the 1951 classic movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still. The second night, a friend of his came to stay, and I went out with some girls. The next night, he played bridge. And now it's the end of the week, and the kids will be home.
Whew, I made it through my first week without the kids OK. I guess I could manage those golden retirement years now...but still I worry that I won't have enough to do anymore.
7 comments:
You missed out the bit where we had sex five times every night...
Really it was quite good only having ourselves to worry about (Mikey's Peckham adventure notwithstanding). The thing that amazed me most was how little food we got through. there was so much left at the end of the week we didn't even need a supermarket visit.
That must have been someone else who had brown hair and you have mistaken me for her.
I've loved empty-nesting! Think of the alternative. Having a lively family around is rewarding, but being "retired" from the active raising of 'em is great, too! I must say, we've had great fun being just "us." As for the daily wild! wonderful! you fear---remember, it keeps your skin beautiful:):)...
E, you're just depressing the rest of us who have *years* to go yet...
Actually if you're looking for a couple of new kids to fill up your day whilst their parents spend Sunday morning in bed having sex and reading the papers then I may have a solution for you.... ;)
Bleurgh. No sex please, we're British. Honestly.
Ha ha, Steve, your comment made me laugh out loud at the office, and believe me, the sound of laughter is not something usually heard in a Nokia office these days.
I love this post! I read you all the time but I seldom make comments, sorry. ;-)
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