How do you get through your children growing up and leaving home to be on their own?
100778
Someone told my mom to get a dog.  It may work for you.  My mom has 2 dogs and still gets really lonely but I'd consider her an exterme case.
660610
Not seeing my children grow up.
704016
My parents went through the same thing. My niece was put into a foster home and they were so upset about it. They had to go to court to get her released to them, it took several months, but they were finally able to get custody of her. They were sick with worry for her and she was a part of our family, they weren't going to let her go. After they  got custody things were not easy. My niece was a darling little girl but she had a lot of behavior problems. I watched my Parents get old over night ( not literally over night, but very quickly ) They spent the years they were suppose to be enjoying, raising another child. My niece is grown now and those years are gone. They are old and tired, not much time for kicking up their feet. Sometimes I resent my sister for having put them through all this, but I can't imagine our lives without that little girl. Good luck on your journey and may God bless you all.
1144
It is my personal opionion and personal observation that people who separate themselves from their parents at an early age do better in the long run.  \n\nPeople who stayed home never grew up emotionally or became financially independant. Parents tend to enable kids staying kids for as long as personal.\n\nI am being honest about this knowing my kids will be ready to leave home soon enough and I will not want to see them go.
115159
Get a social worker.  Talk to the schools your children are in
627107
I am trying to be serious , but may not sound as if...\n\nStop having children, try to get along with some body, I cant believe what is happened to you, how come you never realize that every children you have is a BIIIIIIIIG responsibility, and now you want advice on how to get out of trouble the easy way.\n\nGet to work, and give time to your children, they need it as well as they need to eat.\n\nIs time for you to face what you irresponsibly do, with or with out knowing the consequences..\n\nYou do it, now you fix it, it is going to be hard, but if you make it right you will get your reward, if you think you are not getting any reward, is because you get it before, did I make it clear ????
268976
Don't stick around.  As soon as she runs in and starts to play with her friends or a toy, get the heck outta there.  And *don't* let her see you leave.  She'll be upset, and probably cry, when she realizes you're gone.  And it may even happen for a few days, but she'll stop once she realizes that's "how it is."  \n\nI ran an in-home daycare on a military base several years ago.  Many of my parents had to do the same thing until the child was adjusted to being there on their own.  And, eventually, if they didn't physically see the parent leave, they never had a problem again.\n\nGood luck!
40503
depends on the situation. I know kids who have emancipated themselves from their parents at the age of 17. As long as you have someone to stay with cps ought to be able to get off of your back. FYI: I'm a Texan too, proud and true!
528168
You go sister! Parents need to get away sometimes. You should had done it earlier though cause the first time I ever left my kids, I cried all night, wondering if they were missing me. You don't want that to ruin your weekend. But do not feel bad. Everyone does it and its healthy for you. My dr even told me one time, to find a sitter and go out. I'm a stay at home mom. He said that he makes his wife do it.
449511
Well, I am a 38 year old woman with 4 kids...5 if you count the Hubby, and what I have found that works best for me is to give myself a time out.  If the child is an infant or toddler I put them in a crib or someplace they are confined so they won't get hurt. If they are 5 and up.....they go stay in their room and play....then I take 10 to 15 minutes to relax........I sit on my bed and read a book or magazine, or go in the bathroom and play with my hair, take a shower....talk on the phone......and stay completely away from my children for that amount of time......I have found giving them a time out is only more of an argument and more frustrating for me.....so, I take the time out, and when I am calm I go back and start with a fresh outlook.  It is not easy, but it has saved the lives of our 19, 16, 15, and 6 year olds many times......TEE HEE...Good Luck!
1120521
my mom did over 20 years ago.  This is the worst mistake she ever did according to her.  Yeah it was great raising us and she actually did a wonderful job.  Today however she realised that she we are all grown up and she is all alone with nothing to do.  She is trying to get her carrier back but its proofing a lot difficult.  My advice to you would be to do it but have some part time work particularly at work.  Volunteer in orgnazation and go back to school.  This way when the kids are all grown up,  you would have to butt into their business in order for you to have something to do.  You will resume you career pefectly.  But remember the final decision lies with you.
1163473
I know I'm going to sound like a parent, but you need to just move on.. make new memories.... do things for you... it will get better with time even though right now it doesn't feel that way... I've been there.. and it sucks.. but you will get through it.. and you will be stronger because of it.\n\ndont dwell on what was.. focus on what can be.
631239
Of course, teach your children the real value of the money and hard work, and try to make them take the best education they can, make them good students so they can reach a scholarship and support them yourself.\n\nMy dad left his house as a teenager, managed it to go to a public university and he is pretty successful, we're not rich, but he did everything he could to send my siblings and me to the best schools, and teached us how to do everything cleanly, differently from many of our richie-rich cheaty classmates. I graduated the last year from a private university, and I'm struggling now, I do have a job now, but I know I'll do it better soon :)
32630
This is part of growing up. Everybody has the same problems in one way or another. Just be thankful for having siblings. You might hate them right now. But later on in life. You'll be glad you have them. \n\nWhen you want some alone time. It's usually best to get out of the house. Find a park or a place you feel alone, and stay there for a few hours. Blow some steam. then go home and be with your family.
1017931
I've been there. \n\nDon't abandon your children. If you really are the better parent, get custody and cut her out of your lives as much as you can. \nRetribution will never work. She is the mother of your children, any retribution against her is retribution against them. No matter how old a person is, thier mother is still part of them, and they are still a part of her.\n\nLosing the house sucks, but , Dude, it's a house. Just a place. the memories of it are in you. In your heart and mind. She can't touch that. \n\nBest advice I can give.... Don't expect to get over it. Divorce is like death only worse.  The person you gave your heart and life to is dead, and some other evil warped person has taken thier place. Like Night of the Living Dead or something. How can anyone ever get over that?  That pain will probably never go away. \n\nThe good bit is that eventually you will learn to cope with it.\n\nBelieve me, you are not alone in your pain. There are sooo many of us out there sufferring the same way you are. \nIt make me wonder sometimes how anything so simple sounding as "divorce" can wreck so many lives.
990162
You may have made mistakes, sometimes critically important mistakes, that wounded your children in some way. Most parents, even under the best conditions, will make such a mistake at least once during their childrens' lives. \n\nHowever, your children are middle-aged now; they need to own whatever happened to them, accept that what is done is done, heal their wounds the best they can, and take responsibility for providing themselves and their children with a better life than perhaps you were able to provide for them when they were small.\n\nYou need to tell them that if they expect to have any happiness or success in their lives at all, they have to quit blaming you and start taking responsibility for their own lives now. There's nothing you can do to undo whatever hurt they experienced as children; but there is also nothing you can do to undo whatever hurt they're experiencing in their adult lives...because it's NOT your job. If they expect to have any happiness in their lives at all, they're going to have to work on themselves and do what they need to do for themselves to have a better life.\n\nUntil then, ignore their accusations. They are just guilting you to take the spotlight off their own failures as adults to cope.
549530
You have become an "individual" with whomever you are with....you left the nest and are beginning a life of your own...enjoy the freedom :) Your parents had this experience.. now it's your's :)\nLove Life :)