Line #9 PlayingWith/EmptyNest


1	'''Basic Trope''': A character starts a new chapter of life as his/her/their child(ren) have grown up and left the house.
2	* '''Straight''': AliceAndBob have three adult children: Alan, Billy, and Carol. As soon as Carol (the youngest child) leaves home, AliceAndBob have no idea what to do with their newfound free time.
3	* '''Exaggerated''':
4	** Once the last child has moved away, AliceAndBob suddenly feel that their lives are meaningless.
5	** Alice thinks this way when the children are merely visiting their aunt for one weekend.
6	* '''Downplayed''': Some days Alice misses the kids, other times she doesn't.
7	* '''Justified''':
8	** A large part of Alice's identity is simply being the mother. Now that the kids are not kids anymore and don't need her, she feels like she's lost that sense of purpose.
9	** Alice misses the kids, and the happy memories -- and maybe those memories that weren't so happy at the time (such as when Billy discovered his artistic side and the newly-painted wall), but are now something to look back on and laugh at.
10	* '''Inverted''':
11	** [[GrowingUpSucks The kids miss Alice's cooking and the lack of responsibility, and yes, even Alice's nagging, they had as children once they leave]].
12	** Alice secretly misses life without kids after her first child is born.
13	** Alice is happier without the kids for being able to have the kids' old rooms back, all the peace and quiet, and the ability to have sex with Bob in any room.
14	* '''Subverted''':
15	** Alice ''should'', by all rights, be an {{Empty Nest}}er by now, but [[BasementDweller her adult children have yet to leave the house.]]
16	** [[MyBelovedSmother Alice]] calls and emails her adult children every day, several times a day, sometimes to say hi, sometimes to nag.
17	** Alice adopts a puppy, or starts doing some volunteer work that involves kids, or embraces a new identity known as [[IWantGrandkids Grandma]].
18	** Alice says that she "misses the kids". It is then revealed that the kids are still living with Alice.
19	* '''Double Subverted''':
20	** AliceAndBob intervene and kick their kids out of the house, and kind of regret it.
21	** Because she really does miss them and worry about how they'll survive without her.
22	** But then in the "peace and quiet", she remembers life with the kids and gets wistful.
23	** None of those things (even grandchildren) replace ''her'' children and raising them.
24	** The kids have not left the house permanently, they are just at summer camp, boarding school, college, etc.
25	** They are teenagers, and they spend a lot of time in their rooms or hanging out with their peers, and can be a bit moody, and Alice feels a bit lost and alienated.
26	* '''Parodied''': ???
27	* '''Zig Zagged''': Some days Alice misses the kids, other times she doesn't
28	* '''Averted''':
29	** Alice's children are still at home.
30	** Alice, whether [[LawOfInverseFertility by chance]] or [[ChildrenAreAWaste by choice]], has no children.
31	* '''Enforced''': TruthInTelevision, RuleOfDrama
32	* '''Lampshaded''': "It's almost too quiet without the kids here."
33	* '''Invoked''':
34	** The youngest of Alice's children has finally gone off to college...and made new friends and found an apartment to live in.
35	** Billy is away at college and dating a HardDrinkingPartyGirl...and spent all his money on her. He tries to make AliceAndBob miss him so they'll worry and send him more money (and not fret about his appalling GPA).
36	* '''Exploited''': An apartment or condo complex markets itself to older adults whose children have grown up, now that they have less (or no) need of all that extra space.
37	* '''Defied''':
38	** AliceAndBob take full advantage of their newfound freedom. First, they turn their children's old bedrooms into a computer room, a home gym, and a den, respectively. Then they take up new hobbies, go on dream vacations together, and do any other things they wanted to do before, but couldn't with ChildrenInTow.
39	** Alice talks the kids into moving back.
40	* '''Discussed''': "So, Bob, what's it like not having those kids around? Do you miss them?" "Actually, no. Alice and I have a lot more space now, not to mention free time."
41	* '''Conversed''': "Why do Alice and Bob miss their children so much? As I seem to remember from earlier seasons of this show, parenting was exceptionally stressful for them."
42	* '''Implied''': Alice sometimes looks into her childrens' old bedrooms for a few wistful seconds.
43	* '''Played For Drama''': Bob feels as though his life is meaningless and is DrivenToSuicide. Alice then develops a destructive habit, such as [[LadyDrunk a drinking problem]].
44	----
45	[[EmptyNest It's so quiet without the kids here.]] Let's visit them at [[EmptyNest the main page]].
46	----
47	%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
48	%%
49	%%* '''Deconstructed''': ???
50	%%* '''Reconstructed''': ???

Context PlayingWith / EmptyNest