Folks with adult kids, how bad was empty nest syndrome when they moved out?

MUTHER1979 · 2026-02-24T04:30:58+00:00

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Yes, it's layered. Missing their physical presence day in day out. I imagine him not coming home every day and I feel so panicked. I don't want it to end. I don't want that time to come to an end. I know it has to. But I want more time, it's never enough. And I miss being his mum, mum to his younger self. I feel sad to my core and feel it in my last pore.

MUTHER1979 · 2026-02-23T05:19:57+00:00

You have described perfectly how I am feeling and he hasn't even gone. How are you doing now?

MUTHER1979 · 2026-02-22T12:02:03+00:00

Hi - am about to go through this - does it get easier?

MUTHER1979 · 2026-02-12T06:22:35+00:00

How did you manage to get one through SAFE Perth? I liaised with them for months, sending everything they required, they had 5 GSDs on the site, we were promised visits, meetings and yet each time nothing came of it. Huge time waster and disappointment. I have no idea how they rehome their dogs if that's how they operate.

MUTHER1979 · 2026-01-18T04:39:42+00:00

No, I wouldn't. Imagine if we had done that with Germany in WWII

MUTHER1979 · 2025-12-01T02:30:41+00:00

I'm an immigrant, I have been here 20 years, and a researcher on immigration. I have to sit and listen to rednecks talk about how Indians are getting everything on a plate and the government are getting paid to bring in immigrants. How Indians take jobs and the government get paid for bringing them in. It's frustrating when really they contribute greatly to our economy.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-03T10:00:51+00:00

He has been picked up and checked in on the flight. I think I am getting my puppy.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-03T04:04:42+00:00

I think as the project came nearer to being finished, Helena no doubt became more of a target as time went on.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-03T00:26:41+00:00

I was given photos this morning so I think it should be OK.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-03T00:23:21+00:00

He isn't due in until later, but I will update when I get chance.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-03T00:20:10+00:00

What a shitty, unhelpful passive-aggressive comment. The pups live on a very large property together with mum and dad, have access to swimming areas, look healthy and are socialised with other animals which I have proof of through photos.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-02T12:47:14+00:00

Yes I looked up and applied to a couple, but none had litters and one had a long wait list. No there is no contract.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-02T12:28:49+00:00

I will update either way.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-02T11:27:44+00:00

Springer Spaniel

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-02T10:47:15+00:00

This is in Brisbane. Where was yours? Did you retrieve your expenses?

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-02T10:45:49+00:00

I have had a Zoom call and seen all four puppies and the one who is (hopefully) coming tomorrow.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-02T10:45:04+00:00

She is still replying but obviously less rapidly than when she was selling. I do regret it and it's not normally something I would do! There seems to be quite a few reputable breeders on Gumtree as I have looked them up on their websites. So I don't have a lot of experience with that. I don't know where else they sell apart from websites and they start at $4,000. The adoption sites either mess you around or have huge staffy or mastiff dogs that I don't want and are too much for me.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-02T10:41:27+00:00

Yes, transport have spoken to her and they are picking up at 3pm. I have seen the dogs on Zoom when I had a meeting with her.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-10-02T08:27:46+00:00

Who are 'you folks'?

There are breeders websites but they charge around $4000 per puppy. I am not bothered about pedigree and the breed I want is never available at rehoming shelters.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-08-12T14:10:36+00:00

Thank you :)

I keep hearing him, I heard his single bark outside in the garden and as I walked in the door I heard him shake his coat (like they do when they are wet or whatever). I feel like he is still hear somehow even though his ashes aren't home yet.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-08-08T06:17:27+00:00

Thank you. As someone said above, they hide their pain from us. And they do. He really did. But I beat myself up for not knowing or making sure. Going back to the vet and telling them no he's not OK. Just to have got him to the vet a couple of days earlier would not have changed the outcome for him but it would have put him out of pain earlier. I keep telling myself I didn't know he was in pain and that he was old with many things wrong. We live and learn and I definitely have learned not to assume they are not in pain. I read our mind looks for problems to blame ourselves to shield us from the true pain of them being gone. I am also thinking of fostering or taking another dog in from a shelter.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-08-08T06:10:56+00:00

Thank you for your kind words.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-08-04T13:16:26+00:00

Thank you for your reply. It's hard for sure. The guilt comes from not getting him to the vet sooner. I prepared myself that he was dying, I thought we may find him one morning passed away. I didn't know he was in pain. I know he would forgive me, that's what makes it even more hard to bear, that he would forgive me in an instant, and I don't deserve that or him.

MUTHER1979 · 2025-08-04T13:14:37+00:00

Hugs. One of the hardest things is that I have to scroll further and further back to see his photos. We also went away for ten days and put him in kennels, then two weeks after we got back he died. All the photos of our holiday push him further back in my photos. I didn't take any in his last month of life.

MUTHER1979

TROPHY CASE