Parent of Adults Mailbag FAQ
How to submit your empty nesting questions, quandaries, and crowdsource requests
What is the Parent of Adults Mailbag?
The Mailbag is the community Q&A series for Parent of Adults subscribers.
Free- and paid subscribers can submit their empty nesting questions and quandaries for community input and crowdsourcing.
What kinds of questions can I ask?
Anything you’d ask a wise neighbor or trusted friend about empty nesting.
Our community draws from a deep well of collective wisdom and experience about life as parents of adults (and future adults). The Mailbag activates our “bucket brigade.” 🪣
Think: What worked for you? How did you…? Am I the only one?
Some examples:
How long did you wait to repurpose your kid’s bedroom? Or did you? We live in a small house and I want to use what little space we have for how we’re actually living now, but I don’t want my son to feel kicked out.
My kid is DONE with academics and wants to skip college and move directly into the “real world.” I’m not sure how to support them. Anyone else have a kid who went straight from high school to a job?
I should be out there kicking up my heels, but I’m not one for hobbies and I don’t know how to answer when someone asks, “what do you enjoy doing?” Anyone else feel this way?
Who sells the best Twin XL sheets?
I’m embarrassed to say the empty nesting transition has gone pretty easily for me and my partner. That is NOT the case for my two close friends who are bereft. They look to me for support and I’m totally there, but I can’t fully identify and I feel bad about it, like I’m not an understanding friend or as loving a parent. Help?
How’s the post-COVID school thing going for your kids?
My oldest kid is a high school sophomore. Suddenly them growing up and moving out is on the horizon and I can’t even fathom that life, much like I couldn’t imagine life as a parent until after my kid arrived. I’m excited and terrified. What’s your advice for me?
Wait, who are you again?
I’m Asha Dornfest, a Portland, Oregon-based writer and parent of two young adults. In 2005, when my kids were little, I launched the Parent Hacks community blog, which evolved into a ten-year source of smart, kind parenting conversation and wisdom.
My kids are now grown up, Parent Hacks is now a book, I have more questions then ever, and I believe (no, I know) each of us possesses a brilliant wisdom nugget that could unlock a problem for someone else. 💎
For more about me or this newsletter, read the Parent of Adults About page.
For more about Parent Hacks: 134 Genius Shortcuts for Life with Kids, my gift book for new- and expectant parents, visit Amazon or Bookshop.org (affiliate links).
I’m ready to submit a question! Now what?
Subscribe 📩
If you haven’t already, sign up for a free or paid subscription to Parent of Adults.
Submit 📬✨
Use the Mailbag submission form.
If I choose your submission, I’ll edit it for clarity and, if requested, anonymity. Once your question is scheduled for publication, I’ll email you a heads-up at the address provided.
When the Mailbag post goes live, everyone is invited to gather in the comments to share input and advice. As with all public posts at Parent of Adults, comments are open to all for one week; thereafter, to paid subscribers.
Invite your friends!
If you know someone who’d benefit from these conversations, please invite them to join us. The community here is awesome and kind, and I want people who need that to find us! 👇🏽