When did you children fly the nest?

Eldest went to university at 19 and never returned, second left at 18 and went to university and stayed in London when he graduated.
We had an empty nest by the time I was 43. We had achieved what we set out to do, raise two independent and well balanced young adults.

DD went to university at 18 and after she graduated at 22 moved back in with us for about a year. She moved in with her then boyfriend (now husband) and they bought a house together.
DS is disabled and went to residential school at 14. He has not lived in the family home since.

Son number 1, left home at 23 to live with girlfriend came back 2 children and 6 years later when that relationship broke down. Children remained with ex. Lived with us for a while and then begged me to let him go and live in a flat I own when tenants moved out. Moved there with a friend it has 2 bedrooms and the idea was for them to split the rent "mates rates" almost immediately asked if he could leave to move in with new girlfriend, friend also wanted to move in with his girlfriend a few months later so that went well Then that relationship broke up. Back with us for six months, met new girlfriend has moved in with her, (where's the emoticon for eye roll when you need one) presently lives with her some of the time, on and off with us when he has the children every other week-end.............would like to rent my flat again but have some very good tenants now......... Oh God will it ever end aged 34 now

Son number 2 left home at 19 to go to university, back with us aged 22 when he graduated. Moved out aged 24 to live with mates, met girlfriend aged 25 rented together for about 18 months and then bought a house, they both had help with deposits. Result!

It was a stressful time - we're a 'reconstituted' family.
One son and one daughter left at 17 after teenage rebellions and went back to their other parent.
The other 2 left at 20 and. 25.
But thank God we've all grown up and visit eachother regularly now.

DD left for Uni at 18, bounced back after 2 years but moved out again a year or so later, never to return!

DD1 left to live wth her Dad at 17, mainly because he was a soft touch with her over her boyfiend staying overnight, back in the days where this behaviour was very much frowned on. I was very worried about the situation, her boyfiend was 22 and unemployed at the time. She gave birth to a son the following year, but the relationship failed. She married someone else a few years later, and they are still married with two more Sons.
DD2 left home to get Married at 20, full white wedding to an older guy, but again they split up a few years later without having any Children. she Married again in 2011, but passed away from Cancer four years later.
DD3 did likewise, full White Wedding, but they bought a house together, Married and had two children, but still split up 9 years later. She is now Engaged to a new partner of 5years.
DD 4 left home at 18 to Study Law at University, Graduating 4 years later. Met her partner whilst there, and had two children after Graduation. Likewise they are no longer together, and she is living with a serious long term condition.
DD5 left home at 18, but lived close by in a small cottage, with her baby Daughter, eventually Married someone she knew from School, had two more little girls, and is a real career Girl climbing the ranks within Early years education and Social services, and is still happily Married, she still lives nearby and we see her most days, along with her girls. The Older daughters live a few miles away, we still keep in touch, and they visit occasionally, but l seldom visit them at home due to my disabilities and difficult access to some.of their properties with high enterance steps and lack.of a downstairs loo!

All at 18, two came home for short periods to “ reset”

First son went and left at 25 second son at 22 third son is our boomerang son single left at 29 we furnished the flat out for him came back after a year and is still here at33!

TerriBull I know how you feel. My 38yr old left home at 25 to live with a girl. 5 yrs later he came back when they spilt. He then got with a girl who had a baby, then he had 2 children with her. They split after about 5yrs, the children live with her, he has them every other weekend, plus Wednesday after school. He then got with woman no. 3, who has got 2 boys of her own. That seemed to be fine until last December when he came back here again because she's been seeing someone behind my son's back.

I wonder WHEN he will sort himself out..... he's no trouble to have here. I want my house back, though

Mine left home on getting their first jobs after completing their masters degrees. This was exactly what was expected of them and we thoroughly enjoyed the freedom that gave us.

If either of them had “failed to launch” I would have considered it our fault.

Younger son left at 25 to get married. Elder son left at 30 to live with girl-friend.
While they were at home they always contributed a small rent to cover food etc. They both worked straight from school and were not a financial burden in any way.
I liked them being at home and was in no hurry for them to leave.

My daughter left to move to Germany with her squaddie husband at 19. My son is autistic and still living at home at 29. We had a meeting this week about him moving to supported living but unfortunately he can't afford it as he only receives basic UC.

I didn't read all the thread before posting so I didn't go into detail but will add DD has bounced back 4 times for a few months at a time due to relationship problems.

Son left at 27 to get married, next daughter left at 27 to get married and third daughter left at 27 to get married ( typing this , never realised they were all same age ! ) Youngest now 31 has lived abroad for two years, lived close by for three, back with us for one and moving again to live abroad next month. Love to see them but very happy to have just me and husband at home . Feel we did something right as they are all very happy and independent. We gave them the wings to fly !

@ Lara -
I have a wonderful joke about this - one of those "A Catholic, a Protestant and a Jew" jokes.
Can I post it on here?

3 girls all left home at 18 to shack up with boyfriends, within a few years each married good husbands and now have 8 GC between them, couldn’t have planned it better. Now the eldest GSs are bringing girlfriends home, GDs are younger.

My first son was 23 got married and my second son was 25 moved in with his G/friend.
I cried my eyes out but they came home with wife/G.friend every Wednesday for a family roast and popped in every other day for a cuppa/chat.
Then along came 4 Grandchildren happy days.

Both my sons left when they had finished University. The older one was 25 and the younger one was 23. Both are now married with their own families so have not returned home, except for visits.

Both boys left at about 16.Daughter about21 as she didn't want to go away to uni.She got a job in London straight away and stayed there.

What I have noticed on this thread is how many of you have children living - and working - near you. This is a luxury we have never had.

DS's first job was 200 miles away and for all but a few short months he has remained that far away or further, so returning home when relationships broke up and the like has never been practical.

15 years after leaving home DD was temporarily homeless for about six weeks between selling one property and buying another. She moved home during that time but this left her with a commute that took 2 1/2 hours either way, 5 hours a day. Barely manageable, even for only 6 week.

I am not sure whether to be sad or relieved.

My sons left at 21, 22 and 25. All three bounced back for a few months at some stage, one was back for a short period just before Christmas. I was sorry to see them all go but now I am very happy to have a quiet, tidy home with just my husband. They would always be welcome if they did need to come 'home' again, but hopefully it would only be for a short time until they had sorted themselves out. I like living as a couple now.