Single parents with one child - please give me your tips on navigating your child moving out.

[Alburt]

It's always been just me and DS and now he's going to go to University. Yay etc ... but ... I have a feeling this flat is going to feel hellish empty when he does. When I come home from work there will be no one here. For the first time in close to two decades. And that will be forever! And I am 50! What the fuck am I going to do??! What did you all do?

A while away from this as mine is nearly 15, but I have good friends been through it. Start building your own social life, socialize and get active. Pets are good if you have a lifestyle that you can fit round them.

Huge congrats on raising your son so he can go off to Uni. Only us single parents can appreciate the effort that took!

Enjoy your freedom. He’ll be back quickly. Ps dating?! Looking forward onto other’s replies

My ds moved abroad for a year a couple of years ago. I wanted him to go for his sake and encouraged it. I knew I’d be devastated and miss him, and cried a lot every day for a few weeks. Then I pulled myself together, decluttered every draw and cupboard, did a fair bit of redecorating and some gardening. Kept myself busy.
Began to really enjoy a permanently clean and tidy house, tbh.
He’s been back just over a year and I love having him here - but would quite like my empty house back. When he eventually moves on, it will be fine.
I’m sure your lad will be back for most holidays which will be lovely.

Another upside was that he did realise and appreciate all the stuff I did for him. He never took it for granted, but it’s different when it just doesn’t happen!

well, I cried, and told him it was fine, I would cry a bit and then be fine, and I was. And then I went shopping for myself and found I LITERALLY could not remember what i liked!

Yes, I'm definitely going to have to make more of an effort and invite friends to things I want to go to. I've always just been able to say to DS I've got tickets and he'll come along. I do have a few regular groups I go to and a few regular friendship groups I have been seeing more of during the past few years now I can - I guess if I suggest other things to do some people might take me up on it? I'm always aware that most women already have a built in plus one.

Thanks for the congratulations - I am very proud of him! And yes I guess of myself for having got him here. He's already got his grades last year which were very good and he's going to a university that seems stratospheric to me. And they are just throwing money at him with all kinds of grants and schemes because of his postcode and my single income which feels a bit weird but I guess, well, shit, I certainly don't have it.

I can't imagine dating!!

@AGodawfulsmallaffair I'm sorry you cried so much. I'm sure I will do too. It's hard! I'm cheered that you got yourself into such a state of equilibrium that he disrupted you though. That sounds positive.

LOL I can't imagine what shopping is going to look like. I'm never very sure what I myself actually want as it is.

Maybe I'll just eat steak every night for a week!!!

Also check out Meet-Up etc they have a lot of groups. If you like walking or something groups around that, you’ll meet a lot of like minded people. Meet-Up caters for all interests. Not sure where you live…