"I'd suggest counseling first before looking into possible avenues of having another child at this point in life. Learning and experiencing that your children are growing up as you planned and knowing that active parenting doesn't end at age 18, but continues for many years as your children seek your knowledge and wisdom, helps take the edge off feeling abandoned or no longer needed by your kids. -Robin"
"Re Baby Crazy: I love your column and usually agree with you 100 percent. I agree that the writer seems to be experiencing emotional turmoil, and one of the reasons could be that her kid is turning 17 and possibly leaving home soon. My kids are 5 and 1, and I already worry about them leaving home someday. Could this intense desire to have a baby now be an attempt at having a kid at home all the time? Hey Prudence, -Anonymous"
"Wow, great insight in both of these responses. My 3-year-old told me he wants to live in a tall building with an elevator when he grows up, and my first thought was a moment of panic over the fact that he will in fact be growing up (and no one will be there to advocate for him by asking the other people in the elevator if it's OK if he presses the buttons!)."
A reader suspects premature empty-nest syndrome as a child nears 17 and the end of active parenting. One response recommends counseling before pursuing another child and emphasizes that active parenting continues well beyond age 18 as children seek parental knowledge and wisdom. Another reader notes worry about children leaving home and suggests the intense desire for a baby may stem from wanting a child at home constantly. A parent recounts feeling panic when a three-year-old expressed future independence, suggesting empty-nest anxiety as a possible explanation.
Read at Slate Magazine
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