Now that parents have dropped their kids off at colleges across the country, many are getting used to life as empty nesters. And it turns out, a lot of moms and dads have some unrealistic expectations about how much their kids will stay in touch after leaving home.
According to a new survey of 1,000 parents of young adults ages 18 to 28, kids move an average of about 400 miles away after leaving home. But many parents are finding the distance is more than just physical.
- A hopeful 55% expect to get a text every day from their child and 41% expect a daily call, but only 17% of parents actually get that.
- A lucky 19% say they hear from their child multiple times a day, and they’re probably moms.
- Moms are twice as likely as dads to hear from kids several times daily (22% versus 10%).
- Moms are also more likely to get daily photos (20% compared to 14% of dads) from their kids who’ve moved out.
- And that’s a good thing since 66% of moms say getting photos helps them feel emotionally closer to their child, compared to 55% of dads.
- The most commonly shared photos are selfies or funny pictures (47%), Internet memes (45%) and pics of pets or family members (36%).
- Some parents don’t mind reaching out first, including 69% who say they’re usually the one who initiates contact with their kid.
- In-person visits also happen a lot less often than parents would like. While 30% were hoping for weekly visits after their kids moved out, only 18% actually get them.
- And a few parents (6%) go as long as seven months without seeing their kids face-to-face.
- No matter how often they get to visit with their kids in person, it may still not feel like enough, as 35% of moms and 20% of dads admit they wish their child could live with them forever.
Source: Talker