Chinanews, Wuhan, December 14 – Empty-nest syndrome indicates the loss and grief of parents after their children move out of home, which usually attack senior citizens. However, many middle-aged Chinese have fallen victim to a“new empty-nest syndrome”.

 

Most middle-aged Chinese are parents of the first single-child generation, and nearly all of their kids have started careers of their own. Single children used to be the center of the families, thus their moving-out cause a great sense of loss of motherhood, so mothers tend to suffer more from the syndrome than fathers. Besides, most middle-aged mothers are at their menopause period, which makes them more susceptible. Added to the fact that they are facing retirement, no wonder they need more time and effort to adapt themselves to these changes, which might even lead to mental disorders. However, fathers are usually at the peak of their careers at this time, which means that they are too occupied to be deeply affected by the empty nests.

 

The premature emergence of empty nests might pose risks to the parents' marriage, as children play the role of the ties between fathers and mothers, particularly necessary when there is a sharp contrast between the careers of middle-aged father and mother.

 

Empty-nest syndrome attacks more fiercely at end year end than usual, because the Spring Festival is near (traditionally the time for family reunion), and the parents cannot help missing their grown-up kids. In a psychological clinic in Wuhan, Hubei Province, 22 new empty-nest syndrome sufferers were received in last December alone, and the figure might sadly hit a new high in 2006, as there have been 8 patients of this kind who have visited the clinic.