ICYMI - What Happens to a Marriage When the Kids Leave

Long before the last kid moves out, Dr. Laurie Betito says the empty nest has already been happening in small doses for years. She traces how those early separations quietly shape how parents react when the real one finally arrives.

**Using the Transition to Reset a Relationship**

Dr. Betito explains why research actually shows increased marital satisfaction during empty nest, but only for couples willing to do the work. She lays out what renegotiating a relationship after decades of parenting actually looks like in practice.

**Why the Second Time Feels Completely Different**

Dr. Betito shares a camp story that captures how differently parents react the second time around compared to the first, and connects it to what couples need to talk about once the house is finally quiet, from personal space to rediscovering intimacy.

Topics: empty nest, marital satisfaction, parenting transition, couples advice, relationship reset

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Originally aired on 2026-09-11