Are the years we spend parenting adults “the loneliest years?”

Thank you

Linda Hanstra

,

Sarah Powers

,

Carrie Kelleher

,

Nan Narboe

,

Karen Walrond

,

Ana Flores

and everyone else who tuned into my live video conversation with

Meagan Francis

, author of the new gem of a book, The Last Parenting Book You’ll Ever Read: How We Let Our Kids Go So We Can Embrace What’s Next. The 30ish-minute recording is above in case you weren’t able to join us.

This is the book I needed

The Last Parenting Book You’ll Ever Read is the book I needed (but didn’t know it) a few years ago, when empty nesting was peeking over the horizon.

Meagan calls this transition “arms full” to “hands-free” parenting. She addresses aspects of this stage I didn’t know to expect and even now have a hard time naming. Her kind, candid storytelling made me felt seen and understood in a way only another parent who’s been there could.

On sale wherever books are sold. Info at Amazon and Bookshop.org (affiliate links).

Parenting adults can be isolating

There were several directions I could have taken our conversation but I decided to focus on the “problem” of community: how it’s hard to talk openly as parents of older- and adult kids, certainly online, but even at times with close friends and family.

(I wrote about this in 2024👇🏽. If you’d like to read the archived post, I’ve taken down the paywall for the next couple weeks.)

Where can we talk honestly about empty nesting?

Meagan agreed the struggle is real and at times unavoidable. While there’s no pat solution, just her acknowledgement — in our conversation and in the book — grounded me. It’s not that misery loves company, but it’s nice to know I’m not wandering in this maze alone.

🎬 Your comments, take 2 (this time I can respond)

Substack Live is great in that viewers can join the discussion as it’s happening, but I was recording via my phone and couldn’t manage the conversation while reading or responding to your comments! That would have been fun and I’m sorry I couldn’t swing it. Let’s have a do-over in the comments here.

Do you hesitate to talk openly about parenting your teens/young adults out of respect their privacy or to protect them (and yourself) from judgement?

Comments are open to all for one week after publication. For unlimited access to comments + the full, unlocked archive, become a paid supporter.

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Thanks for reading Parent of Adults. I’m Asha Dornfest, a Portland, Oregon-based author & parent of two young adults, and this newsletter is my invitation to compare notes on life beyond the empty nest.

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