Michelle Answers: It is completely understandable that after 20 years of parenting at home, this shift can leave you with a lot of freedom, a quiet house, and the need to build a new routine. While your youngest child has left for college, they still need you—just in a different way.

Research shows that young adults' brains continue developing until around age 25. Maintaining a strong connection creates a supportive space for them to reach out when they need guidance.

 Here are a few ways to navigate this transition together:

   - Explore New Interests: Engaging in activities outside the home, such as learning Mahjong or volunteering, helps you connect with new communities and build your own fulfilling routine.
   - Stay in Touch: Share your new experiences with your college student. Calling to catch up lets them know you are doing well, which relieves any quiet guilt they might feel about leaving. It also creates space for them to comfortably share their own new experiences.
   - Model Lifelong Growth: Pursuing your own goals demonstrates that adapting, learning, and finding community is an ongoing, lifelong process.

 Your commitment to your family hasn't changed, even if the daily logistics have. By finding balance in this new phase, you continue to support your child as you both grow into this next chapter.