I do hope you don't mind me butting in here...I just knew I was going to find loads of interesting discussions on this site - and lo and behold - I have!

In my case it wasn't my son who left the nest - but me.... I was offered a promotion which entailed moving to the other end of the country (300 miles - well the UK is tiny). My son had the opportunity of going with me, and some long, looooong discussions followed on -
Should I accept the move?
Should he stay or not?.
What about the future?
The decisions to be made were seemingly 'endless'. But in the end he decided that he would be quite able to cope on his own...though to me it seemed that he still hadn't mastered the art of 'how clothes hangers worked'..... .
To ensure that he would not be in 'unsavoury or unsafe' surroundings it was decided to give him enough for a deposit on a home of his own. He had a good job, so could afford the responsibility of a mortgage.
We never looked back, that promotion lead to a varied and interesting career for me, and my son is now the proud owner of a World Wide DJ agency that involves him travelling world wide, a dance music consultancy and a large resaurant and grill which holds regular 'disco club nights'.

The reason I mention this is simply that 'flying the nest' has been around ever since the times of Cain and Abel - and even there one made good, the other didn't..... but they were 'trusted' to make their own decisions and learn by their mistakes, when and if they made any.

My son is now not only that, but he is my best friend - it's him I turn to for advice or that inimitable 'shoulder to rest my head on' when needs must. You will be the same - you'll see.

And the 'quiet' - oh that is really GREAT. I can really enjoy that now I have the time to!

europa