how to make that empty nest feel a little fuller

Don’t try to soldier on and hide your feelings. Have a good cry, flick through the family albums and seek out a friend to talk to who you know will be genuinely sympathetic and not just tell you to get over it.

Getting used to not being relied upon for everything, from food to washing to providing a taxi service, can be quite tough. Don’t expect to adapt to it straight away — though as the weeks go by you may find it rather liberating, too. Try to give yourself time to come round to this new routine.

As things settle down, make sure you make the most of your new-found free time. After years of being at other people’s beck and call, you can afford to be more spontaneous. Enjoy taking up some last-minute offers. And consider doing something constructive with that free time. For example, it may not be just your child who gets the chance to learn new things — you could enrol on a course, or take up a new hobby.

See the change in the family dynamic as an opportunity — your relationship with your husband could simply benefit from having more time for each other.

And of course your child will be home again — most likely for halfterm and Christmas. With their growing sense of independence, acknowledge that your relationship with them is now on a different footing. It’s important not to continue to treat them as children who must answer your every question, but at the same time they need to respect your feelings, too. To avoid conflict and enjoy the reunion, it might be an idea to establish a few new ground rules when it comes to letting you know where they are going if they are heading out and what time they will be back home.