About Parent of Adults
Parent of Adults is a place for us to talk about how parenting and life change after the kids grow up.
That’s right, they grow up. We’ve been working toward this all along, right? Of course we have.
And it’s wonderful. But can we also agree it’s weird?
“Empty nesting” doesn’t begin to describe the swirl of contradictory emotions that came along with my kids’ transition to adulthood. I knew life would change, but it’s a whole new world for my marriage, my friendships, my home life and my work. This is both thrilling and unsettling in ways I didn’t expect.
The transition goes differently for everyone, of course, but, whew. My empty nest isn’t so tidy even if my house finally is.
I started this newsletter so we could talk about the joys and complications of empty nesting — and how the term “empty nesting” doesn’t do this phase justice (or even describe it particularly well). Our experiences are all so different! If we hear (and tell) those stories, we’ll all have an easier time of it.
So let’s compare notes. Our experiences will vary, but I’ll bet we have more in common. More perspectives will make for a more reality-based picture of “empty nesting” — one that leans toward growth and possibility.
Because this next chapter isn’t only about our kids.
It’s also about us.
About me
I’m Asha Dornfest, a writer and parent of two young adults. I’ve been writing for over 25 years and building online parenting community since the early 2000’s. I’m the author of several books but I’m best known for Parent Hacks: 134 Genius Shortcuts for Life with Kids which grew out of my beloved-and-now-archived community blog, Parent Hacks.
I’m also the co-author (with Christine Koh) of Minimalist Parenting, which led to our launching and co-hosting the Edit Your Life podcast from 2015 to 2021 — the same year my youngest kid left for college.
My husband, Rael, and I live in Portland, Oregon.
What happens when you subscribe
Free subscribers get public posts delivered to their inboxes (2-4 per month). Comments are open and encouraged.
Paid subscribers get all free benefits + no paywalls and the ability to reply privately via email.
Subscriber benefits are a work in progress, so watch this space!
Why pay?
To me, paid subscription is more than a transaction. It’s a partnership.
Reader support sustains the many hours of work it takes to build and grow this community. It also allows me to keep this publication ad-free.
If you appreciate what’s happening here, I hope you’ll help me keep it going by becoming a paid subscriber for a month ($5/mo), a year ($36/year), or a lifetime ($72/one time).
You can also buy a one-month or one-year gift subscription for a friend.
Thanks for reading. I’m so glad you’ve found your way here and I hope you’ll make yourself at home.
See you in the comments —
A note about gender & language: I write from my perspective as a cisgender woman (she/her). I welcome readers of all genders and do my best to use gender-inclusive language.
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