Empty Nest Syndrome is when a parent, commonly the mother, or guardian is showing signs of depression and anxiety when one or more of the children leaves home. Early this year, my sister moved with me to Manila for her internship. Although, we are used to be apart from each other, mama finds the distance farther than before.
My sister noted that mama is showing symptoms of an Empty Nest Syndrome. Without mama knowing, she is trying to cope up with the depression.
- She texts us more frequently these past months and asks questions whether we have eaten, we have slept or are we home already. And she’d end the text with the usual I love you’s and several muah’s. Whenever I call them up, we’d reached almost an hour talking on the phone.
- She is frequently complaining of something and goes to the doctor more often. She must have missed my sister who is a doctor. Last month, she had been to the doctor thrice for different complaints. Of course, all of them are valid. Last night, she just texted us that she is having a fever and her joints are painful.
- She talks to my sister’s stuff toy named Dayad. She feeds it with a stuff toy milk bottle. Whenever they go out, she brings Dayad on the car and place her on seatbelts at the back seat.
This is quite weird since my sister and I had been away from our parents for more than 5 years already. My sister was in Iloilo during college and I was in Manila working. It was just this year when my sister is also in Manila for her internship. I anticipated they would miss us a lot that’s why I already bought mama a ticket last March for a trip to Manila this October. Papa will be left behind to oversee the business.
Her signs are quite interesting and amusing to observe. My sister and I also missed them a lot. What I missed the most is getting allowance from my parents. I wonder if giving them a grandchild will somehow cure some of the symptoms.
