What is the empty nest?

This entry describes the empty nest as the period after children have left the parental home, when the couple or the remaining parent lives without them day to day. It names common reactions, from relief to grief, and the practical question of what the marriage is for once the children are no longer the main shared task.

What this entry does not do

It does not treat sadness after a child leaves as an illness, and it does not assign the couple a new project.