Empty Nesters: What comes when children move out?
As the new academic year begins, households across the country are experiencing a quiet shift.
Teenagers are packing up for university, young adults are stepping into independence, and for many parents, the once lively home is suddenly still. The familiar chaos of busy mornings, shared dinners, and weekend noise has softened.
For some, this transition brings a welcome sense of freedom or pride in having raised confident, capable young adults. But for others, it stirs unexpected emotions and a lingering question: What now?
If you find yourself with more time, energy, and love to give, you’re not alone and there are meaningful ways to channel that into something new and exciting.
Foster carer, Jacqueline P. tells us of the time her busy house of 6 children reduced to 4 as 2 of their children went to University. “It came about too quick for my liking. We still felt young and all of a sudden our children were growing up and we were thinking what can we do now?
I don’t think it was just the empty house, there was a big sense of achievement to think that we’ve got all of our children to that age successfully with no hiccups, and they’ve all done well, we’re quite good at this.
You don’t think of parenting as a skill when you’re going along because you think its just life when you’re doing it, but when you have time to reflect on that you know, we had more to offer so that’s when we spoke to the kids about fostering.”
Lincolnshire Fostering Service foster carers, Jacqueline P. and her husband Matthew B.
For a lot of families, fostering may inspire questions around how it may fit in with their family or children who are still in the home. We spoke to another of our foster carers, Jacqui C. about how fostering impacted the children in her home.
“It impacted us all positively. My son Henry had no idea what he wanted to do in life and has now started an apprenticeship at a primary school as a TA and sports coach for children with additional needs.
My youngest daughter is going to college to become and speech and language therapist as we have fostered non-verbal children. So it’s affected them in a really positive way and brought out a nurturing side to them all”.
Lincolnshire Fostering Service foster carer, Jacqueline C. and family pose on a mountain as they take a selfie together.
If you can relate to Jacqueline and Jacqui’s story and want to know more about opening your home to local children, you contact our friendly team on 01522 554114 or email us at fostering@lincolnshire.gov.uk.