Most of my kids have moved out of the house, except for my youngest. I'm worried she's lonely in our near-empty nest.

"As the youngest of four, my daughter probably hasn't known a totally peaceful day since she arrived home from the hospital. She was the travel baby - waking up in her infant seat to discover she'd been carted to a school play, T-ball practice, or school pickup. She had built-in playmates right from the start, though, of course, they bickered and fought like any other siblings."

"And now, when all of my kids are teens or young adults leading busy lives, we still have noisy dinners or pile on the couch together to unwind with a TV show before bed. Our house is still pretty active, and her siblings might take her on a coffee run or to the thrift store on a Saturday to hang out."

"I'm in the middle of what feels like a long transition period. One of my four kids is a young adult who has already moved out on his own. Another one of them graduates this year and will likely move away to college. Another opted for a community college but plans to move out in the next few years. I've been thinking about what I want my life to look like when I become an empty nester."

I am preparing for an empty nest while my youngest still lives at home. One child already moved out, another will likely leave for college after graduation, and a third plans to move out after community college. I have begun making lifestyle changes and building new friendships in anticipation. I realized my youngest may feel left behind and lonely as the last sibling at home with only parents. She has never experienced a quiet house, grew up with constant sibling activity, and has frequent outings. I worry she will struggle when siblings move away and want to help her transition to being the only child at home.

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