Empty nest

I live with DH and DS2.

This is the smallest number of people in my house since DH and I got married.
This time last year there were seven family members living here.
If I went into all the details of my family's ups and downs over the years it would out me.

I am 70 and have not yet had an empty nest but wonder what it would be like. Strange but I am dreading it!.

Welcome Ju1160

I have a 24 yr old DS whose never left home. If you find yourself missing the younger generation. I'll send him your way
It certainly sounds like you deserve some time to yourself though.

Yes, welcome Ju. hope it all works out well for you.We have all had the same or nearly the same feelings re the empty nest, but after a while it goes, and you get used to and glad to have some peace and space to be yourself and not MUM.

Hello, Ju1160 and welcome!

My son came back home twice before he moved abroad and started his little family there, but now I have my eldest daughter living with us after she finally after a 27yr relationship left her abusive partner.. she's been with us nearly 18mths now , we do rub along ok but our house is small and she has so much 'stuff', she doesn't want to be here but renting a place in London alone is pretty much a no no unless she moves right out somewhere so at present she is stuck with us...
Its no problem to us and she insists on paying her way.. but we will be glad to get the house back to ourselves..

Our two left when they went to uni and never returned for very long.

I would love to live on a barge, both our children live near canals, so we could visit on a rota basis, but my partner says NOOOOOOOOO!

Yes, they are not a breeding pair, thank goodness! And yes, I'm new.
In spite of the hard times, the financial impact ( which was quite heavy, our gas, electric & water bills rocketed ) and the carpets needing a good clean, there are a lot of advantages of families living together.
Like you, it gave us the opportunity to watch our DGC grow, especially the youngest. Whilst he was with us we watched him take his first steps and listened to his first words. In fact, in this respect it is very advantageous for the children because they get such a lot of input from all the adults around them.
My grandson has just had his 2 1/2 year assessment and the health visitor said she had never come across a child at that age with such a vocabulary!

ju1160, I don't know if you're new or not. If you are, you are very welcome. You sound like a very tolerant and good-humoured mum/gran. I suspect that in the same circumstances I would have been tearing my hair out. Having said that, when my sons returned from foreign parts complete with partners to live with me for a - mercifully - short time, it gave me the opportunity to meet and live alongside the girls with whom I am still the best of friends now that they are the mothers of my DGC.

I take it those rabbits are of the same sex otherwise there would be rather more than two.