What happens after the kids leave? For many parents, the empty nest phase brings a flood of emotions—relief, sadness, confusion, even identity loss. But what if this transition could be your most powerful opportunity for growth, reconnection, and joy?

In Episode 238: Navigating the Empty Nest Transition, I sit down with award-winning author Anthony Damaschino, whose Empty Nest Blueprint books offer wisdom, humor, and practical advice for parents ready to reclaim their spark. A former HR executive, father of three, and now a full-time advocate for thriving in midlife, Anthony shares why this season is the most underrated phase in a parent’s life.

We talk about what happens when the house gets quiet, how to stop helicopter parenting before it pushes your kids away, and why “just surviving” these years misses the point. Anthony opens up about his emotional shifts, including the bittersweet moment his daughter left home (again), and how he and his wife rekindled their relationship without the kids at the center.

This episode explores:

• How to handle the emotional rollercoaster of an empty home
  
  

• Why awareness is the first step to thriving after parenting
  
  

• How single parents can avoid loneliness and rebuild identity
  
  

• Ways couples can reignite connection and purpose
  
  

• Why small shifts—not big reinventions—create long-term fulfillment
  
  

Whether you're approaching the empty nest or living in it right now, this conversation will inspire you to see this phase not as an ending, but as a powerful new beginning. Tune in and walk away with real strategies to help you rediscover who you are and want to be after the kids are grown.

Connect with Anthony:

• Website:  https://anthonydamaschino.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anthonydamaschino
<li dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38;"