Strengthening Your Marriage After the Kids Leave
For couples, the empty nest can be a make-or-break moment. For years, children often act as the central organizing principle of a marriage. They are the shared project, the primary topic of conversation, and the reason for the family’s daily rhythm. When they leave, some couples look at each other and realize they have become strangers, their connection frayed by years of focusing on parenting rather than on each other. However, for many others, this period becomes an opportunity for a marital renaissance, a chance to reconnect on a deeper level.
This is where the topic of marriage after kids becomes critical. The key to navigating this successfully is intentional effort. Couples must consciously decide to turn toward each other rather than drifting apart into the new silence. This means rediscovering shared interests, planning activities together, and learning to communicate again about hopes, dreams, and fears that don’t involve the children. It’s a chance to remember why they fell in love in the first place, before their identities were so intertwined with being “Mom” and “Dad.”
Actor Rob Lowe has spoken eloquently about this phase of his long-term marriage to Sheryl Berkoff. After their two sons, Matthew and John Owen, left home, Lowe described the transition as a powerful and positive one for their relationship. In various interviews, including one with People magazine, he has emphasized the importance of having a strong foundation before the kids leave. He credits his successful transition to the fact that he and his wife always prioritized their partnership.
Lowe has described this new chapter as a “new, exciting, and sexy” time. He talked about the freedom to travel spontaneously and to simply enjoy each other’s company without the constant demands of family life. His perspective highlights a crucial point: the empty nest doesn’t have to be an ending. It can be the beginning of a second honeymoon phase, where the focus returns to the couple. His public statements provide a positive model for couples facing this transition, showing that with mutual respect and a shared commitment, a marriage can not only survive the empty nest but thrive in it.
Of course, this isn’t always easy. For couples who have grown apart, the empty house can amplify the distance between them. In these cases, open communication is vital. It may be the time to seek counseling or to start having honest conversations about what each partner wants for the future. The empty nest forces a confrontation with the state of the relationship, and while that can be challenging, it’s also an opportunity to rebuild and create a stronger partnership for the decades to come.
