From the author: An article for parents whose children left their parental home. Psychological recommendations on how to get through this crisis and find a new meaning in life. For all parents, sooner or later there comes a period when grown-up children become independent and leave the parental home. Children may go away to study, start a family, or move to another city due to a change of job. One way or another, they begin their independent lives, and the parents are left to their own devices. In this case, parents often experience a condition that psychologists call “empty nest syndrome.” Not only the house, but their whole life seems suddenly empty to them. This period is especially difficult for women. Feeling of the meaninglessness of existence. Usually the “empty nest syndrome” affects people aged 38 to 45 years, just at the time when a person is experiencing a “midlife crisis”, which is characterized by a reassessment of life values ​​and an influx of doubts about the correctness life course. Being relieved of parental responsibilities can cause depression and a lack of future. At this time, the first signs of age-related changes begin in a woman’s body, and fear of impending old age appears. This serves as fertile ground for the growth of self-doubt, fear of one’s own uselessness and a feeling of loss of meaning in life. Some other difficulties such as divorce, moving, menopause, caring for aging parents coincide with the time when the “nest” is empty. Thus, crisis situations can “overlap” each other, increasing the feeling of loss. This feeling becomes so global that it completely overshadows the realization that you finally have the opportunity to find new points of application of your energy. Changes in the marriage system During the period when children leave home, a sharp restructuring of the entire family system occurs. If the relationship in marriage is warm and respectful, then the feeling of loneliness due to the lack of children unites the spouses and forces them to look for support in each other. If there is no love or respect, the husband and wife become unnecessary to each other. Previously, conflicts in the family could be smoothed out or even taken on by children. Now the spouses are forced to turn to each other and sort things out together. The feeling of loneliness makes them irritated with each other. Mutual reproaches, scandals, and alienation begin. A significant wave of divorces occurs in the age period of 40-45 years. However, if next to the man there is a caring, understanding woman who is not absorbed only in everyday issues, then the couple passes this test much easier. How to accept the situation First of all, accept the fact that sometimes being sad about your child is quite normal. The main thing here is not to lose interest in life. You should not treat a child as a thing that you can have or not have. Children should be treated as individuals - with their dignity and the right to live their own lives. Look at your life from a different angle. Thanks to your efforts and sleepless nights, you raised your child. Why is this not a reason to be proud of yourself? You have fully realized yourself as a mother and before trying on the image of a grandmother, take a short break to live for yourself. Now you are at the age of mature intellect, acquired life experience, still in good enough health, at the age for self-realization and satisfaction of your inclinations and interests. It is important to see not the limitations, but the opportunities that open up to you, which provide life experience and acquired social status. The more professional and personal plans and opportunities for development you have ahead of you, the more painlessly and constructively you will experience the “empty nest syndrome.” Many people at this time, having raised children, opened their own businesses, began to engage in scientific work or teaching, became involved in social activities, began to travel, found new hobbies and interests,.