You never stop being a parent no matter how old your kids get, but parenting does change once your kids move out of the house. The empty nest can mean mixed feelings. You may have more freedom and money than you did for a couple of decades, but you still miss your children. On the other hand, it can be great to see them heading out into the world, independent and successful. The tips below can help you prepare for this significant life change.

Work on Your Relationship

If you are married or in a relationship, you may want to start talking to your spouse or partner about the change ahead well before it happens. It's not uncommon to find that you have been so focused on raising your children that you have to get to know one another again. You might want to talk about what you imagine your life being like in the years ahead and discuss some shared goals you can work toward.

Connect with Yourself

In addition to your spouse or partner, you might need to reconnect with yourself as well. Parenting can be all-encompassing, and you may have put things on hold or made life choices for the sake of your children. Now that you can focus more on your own needs and plans, what do you want to do? You might want to try out some new hobbies, take some classes and start spending more times with friends, especially other empty nesters who will understand what you are going through.

Reassess Your Insurance

Parents often buy a life insurance policy to ensure that their family is cared for if anything happens to them. Once your kids grow up, you may not need the policy any longer. Don't just let your policy lapse; you may be able to sell it for cash. Review a guide about how to go about this and discover your value today. The money you get from it could go toward paying off debts or toward a future empty nest project.

Consider Boundaries

You may want to think about what kind of a relationship you will have with your child now that they are out of the house. It can be tough to balance the desire to give them advice and financial assistance with knowing that you also need to encourage them to be independent. You do need to resist the urge to monitor their social media and call them every day, but you will also want to stay in touch and let them know that you are there for them if they need you. You might want to talk to your child about the level of contact they are most comfortable with.

Look for a New Challenge

Raising a child is an enormous project, maybe the ultimate project! Even when you take all of the steps above, you might find yourself feeling a little lost when your kid moves out. Once you have given yourself some down time, you might want to consider taking on something big, such as starting a new business or going back to school.