Anything can happen': how 14 empty nesters are reimagining their lives

"The term empty nest first emerged in the late 19th century, gaining traction in psychological and sociological discourse by the 1940s. Originally, it evoked a singular image: a mother alone in a quiet house, mourning the departure of her last child. But the reality, then and now, is far more nuanced. While the term was once gendered, today the emotional impact is felt across all parents, regardless of role or identity."

"The empty nest is not a fixed state but a mutable one. For some, it arrives with a deep ache, a sense of disorientation or loss. For others, it marks a period of renewal, space reclaimed, silence embraced, autonomy rediscovered. The nest may stay quiet or grow noisy again with boomerang children, ageing parents or new partners. Some preserve their homes like time capsules; others transform them entirely, reimagining their lives within, claiming room for new identities, desires and rhythms."

The concept of the empty nest originated in the late 19th century and gained prominence by the 1940s, originally conjuring a solitary mother grieving a departed child. The experience is now recognized as affecting parents of any gender and as highly variable: some feel loss and disorientation while others find renewal, reclaimed space, and autonomy. Modern family structures are fluid, with nests sometimes repopulated by boomerang children, caregiving elders, or new partners. In 2022, an estimated 20.9 million U.S. households fit a specific empty-nest definition, while 18% of adults 25–34 still lived with parents in 2023, illustrating shifting dynamics.

Read at www.theguardian.com