Summary: Children leaving home can create a void in some married couple's lives that is hard to fill. This empty nest syndrome can leave couples without a clear idea of who they are, especially if they have been investing all their time and sense of meaning into their kids.<br> <br> At the same time, this can be a liberating and exciting time for couples as they are freed from the day to day pressures of parenting and become free to explore their own interests and devote more time to each other.<br> <br> In today's podcast we look at how the empty nest syndrome can go both ways for your marriage based on psychological theories of role transition and relationship turbulence. We'll also give you ways to make sure you handle the transition well, as well as looking at what happens ewhen kids fail to launch or return to the family home.
