WHEN THE LAST of the children leaves home, couples who have devoted decades to raising a family suddenly find an empty apartment, time on their hands and a marriage that is jolted into a new phase.
Having an 'empty nest' can be a blessing - a chance to pursue work opportunities, long-neglected hobbies and reclaim privacy and romance.
Jenny, a nurse who has two adult daughters, says her relationship with her husband, George, has blossomed since their youngest left home two years ago. She and George enjoy spending more time with each other, more time with their friends and taking holidays in the places they, not their children, choose to go.
'I only worked part-time while the girls were growing up. Now I can focus on my career, even if it is a bit late,' Jenny says.
'We go out a lot more and enjoy doing lots of things together at home, like cooking meals.
'In a way it is much better than when we first got married, because now we have more money and security and can relax more.'
But not all experiences are happy. For some couples, the children's departure reveals cracks in the relationship. After years of having conversations cut short by ballet classes and homework problems, some find they simply have nothing left to say to each other.
