When the children fly the coop, it can be hard on Mom. A once hectic home can give way to quiet moments and even loneliness. Here are some book selections to help with empty nest syndrome.

From Mom to Me Again: How I Survived My First Empty-Nest Year and Reinvented the Rest of My Life by Melissa Shultz

Part-memoir and part self-help, From Mom to Me Again shares the struggles Melissa Shultz experienced when her children left home. She needed to transform her life, marriage, friendships, career and even herself to find her own happiness. Funny and practical, moms will find advice they need before sending their kids out into the world.


Release My Grip: Hope for a Parent’s Heart as Kids Leave the Nest and Learn to Fly by Kami Gilmour

This keepsake and journal was written by popular blogger of SoulFeed, Kami Gilmour. A practical place to journal as you learn to let go of your children, this book will help parents during what can be a difficult time of life. Chapters include uplifting scripture, reflection questions to consider and challenges to help you adjust to your new normal.


My Nest Isn’t Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space: The Amazing Adventures of an Ordinary Woman by Lisa Scottoline with Francesca Scottoline Serritella

Written by a mother-daughter duo, family secrets are shared in this entertaining book which also features Lisa Scottoline’s mother, aka Mother Mary, who will not let go of a 30-year-old bra and thinks that eating outside with bugs is a travesty. You’ll be rolling in laughter as these authors discuss everything from blind dates, carbohydrates and addictions to wedding announcements.


Barbara and Susan’s Guide to the Empty Nest: Discovering New Purpose, Passion, and Your Next Great Adventure by Barbara Rainey and Susan Yates

Authors Barbara Rainey and Susan Yates know a thing or two about being empty nesters. While there is excitement in this new time, there is also profound grief, and even though the job of Mom is lifelong, there are changes that come with it. Answering questions about being needed, how your marriage changes and how to relate to your grown children, this book will help readers learn to thrive in their empty nest.


Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents by Jane Isay

A perfect read for parents and their grown children, Walking on Eggshells offers advice and wisdom on keeping the relationship intact during the phase when children are experiencing their own adulthood. Jane Isay interviewed parents and children from ages 25 to 70 to bring this insightful book to readers. Learn to stay connected to the people who matter most in your life in this helpful book on navigating important relationships.