Parent of Adults is a newsletter about life after the kids grow up.
They grow up! I mean, we knew this would happen, right?
Of course we did. And it’s wonderful. It’s also… weird.
My kids adults have lived out of state for a few years — one’s a college senior and the other’s a college graduate.
I’m excited about their transition to independence — for them and me. But so far, empty nesting has turned out to be way more than a transition.
It’s a whole new world.
I was prepared for some bumpiness when my youngest kid moved out, but I assumed that, eventually, I’d arrive at a new normal. But that hasn’t happened. Turns out, there’s no normal. And no arrival! There’s just more life in all its confounding lifey-ness.
(Come to think of it, this is not unlike how I felt as a new parent.)
The freedom and possibilities of this stage are thrilling, for sure. I have more time and mental space, more control over my schedule, and a whole new perspective on my relationships and the world. But there’s still a big❓where my routines and priorities used to be. I’m wondering if it’s like that for you, too.
Parent of Adults is where I attempt to make sense of this strange new season of family life.
Writing about it helps me think more clearly, and sharing it as a newsletter lets me hear your stories as well.
If you, too, are wandering in unfamiliar territory beyond the empty nest, sign up for a free subscription — let’s search for the trail together.
Perhaps we’ll discover we’re not alone in our challenges & joys — and we never were.
About me
I’m Asha Dornfest, a writer, parent and collector of collective wisdom.
I’ve been writing books and/or blogging since the mid-90’s. I launched my beloved blog, Parent Hacks, in 2005, and wrote there for over a decade.
The Parent Hacks community inspired Parent Hacks: 134 Genius Shortcuts for Life with Kids (Workman, 2016) — a treasure trove of ingenuity and generosity in the form of a compact illustrated book.
I also co-wrote Minimalist Parenting: Enjoy Modern Family Life More By Doing Less (Routledge, 2013) with my friend Christine Koh. This led to our co-hosting 250+ episodes of the Edit Your Life podcast from 2016-2021. The pod now thrives as a solo show by Christine.
My husband, Rael, and I have lived in Portland, Oregon for over 20 years. We love it here and we’re also thinking about moving at some point. My mom moved to Portland in 2022 after my dad died unexpectedly. Between empty nesting, grief, the pandemic, supporting my mom, and *looks around at the world* it’s a lot of change in a few years. But like everyone else, we’re making our way one day at a time.
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Why pay when this newsletter is free?
Parent of Adults is free, but my work is supported by paying subscribers. “Support” means two things to me:
The financial support is obvious. Paid subscriptions allow me to earn an income while keeping this newsletter ad- and sponsor-free.
Paying for a subscription says you value my work and want to help me keep doing it. This kind of support is more meaningful than ever.
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Gift a paid subscription to a friend when they reach a parent-of-adults milestone:
their kid turns 18 or 21
their kid graduates from high school or college
it’s Day 1 of empty nesting
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Subscribe now so we can continue the conversation. The empty nest is only the beginning…and it isn’t empty!
