One of the hardest things about parenting is that we too often gain knowledge and wisdom AFTER the children pass the phase when we needed the knowledge and wisdom.
“Empty-Nest Parenting” deals with issues we wish we’d thought about more when our family was younger – and talked about with our children.
I’ve long admired Richard and Linda Eyre for their insights on family – and their skillful writing and speaking about the importance of family. They raised 9 children and wrote “Empty-Nest Parenting” when their children started leaving home. They were committed to keeping their family close even as their children started their adult lives.
How do you build a strong family culture than continues to grow and strengthen when children start families of their own?
The Eyres deal with empty nest issues such as finances, evolving relationships and changing roles - hanging on and letting go. I liked the book as a reminder of issues that are good to think about and discuss before and during children's transition away from their childhood home. The Eyres involved their children in the discussions that led to this book. Parts of it may seem a bit much, almost micromanaging. The format was sometimes a bit confusing. How the Eyres dealt with specific situations, like all parental advice, won't work for everyone.
Three generation families (and four if you're fortunate) are a wonderful combination of the past, present, and future. Deliberate parenting results in blessings for all generations.
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Empty-Nest Parenting by Richard & Linda Eyre, Bookcraft, 2002
The book is no longer in print but is available through used book sellers.
You can also get a free pdf of the book from the Eyres here
(some formatting issues when I looked at it)
Read more here
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