Youryoungestsonordaughterhasjustgraduatedfromhighschoolandsoonheorshewilltradehisorherbedroominyourhomeforacollegeresidencehall.You’restartingtoworryaboutthecomingsilenceinyourhomeandarewondering
Youryoungestsonordaughterhasjustgraduatedfromhighschoolandsoonheorshewilltradehisorherbedroominyourhomeforacollegeresidencehall.You’restartingtoworryaboutthecomingsilenceinyourhomeandarewonderinghowyouwillfillthehoursthatyoupreviouslyspentwithyoursonordaughterattendinghisorherschoolandsportingevents.
Takeheart—theemptynest“isoftenworseinanticipation(预料)thaninday-to-daypractice”sayspsychologistBertHayslipJr.
Hayslipwhohasstudiedretirementadjustment(调整)andotheragingproblemssuchasagingsleeplessnessformanyyearspointsoutthatmoreoftenthannotchildrenwholeavedonotcompletelycutoffcontactwiththeirparents.Headvisesparentstothinkofitasaseriesoflifeeventsinsteadofasuddenchange.Healsosaysanemptynestcancausebiggerproblemstosurface“ifacouplehasn’tlookedaftertheirmarriagewhileraisingtheirchildren”.AccordingtoHayslipsomecouplesmayfindtheynolongerhaveanythingincommononcethechildrenareoutofthehouse.
Thinkingofanemptynestasthelossofchildrenmakestheadjustmentmoredifficult.“Withtheempty-nestsyndrome(综合症)parentsactuallyneedtodealwiththelossoftheparentingcontroloverchildrennotwithhavingreallylosttheirchildren”Hayslipsays.“Theyjusthavetofindanewwaytogetalongwiththeirchildren.”
“Relatingtotheircollege-agechildreninthisnewwaywillcomeeasilytoparentsasthemonthspass.Aswithmanythingsthepassageoftimehealsthepainofloss”Hayslipsays.
小题1:Whatdoesthe“emptynest”mean?A.Children’scuttingoffcontactwiththeirparents.B.Children’snotlikingspendingtimewiththeirparents.C.Children’sgrowingupandleavinghome.D.Children’snotacceptingparents’careandlove.小题2:Whatdoestheunderlinedword“it”inthethirdparagraphreferto?A.Retirementadjustment.B.Agingproblem.C.Sleeplessness.D.Therealityofemptynest.小题3:Whydomanyparentsfindithardtoadjusttotheempty-nestlife?A.Becausetheythinktheyhaveactuallylostth