Actress and model Brooke Shields candidly shares her sentiments after dropping off her youngest daughter at college, admitting the transition to an empty nest is not an easy one.
In an emotional social media video and subsequent interviews, Brooke Shields has opened up about the bittersweet experience of becoming an empty nester after her youngest daughter left home for college. The "Blue Lagoon" star shared her heartfelt journey with her followers, expressing the challenges and emotions that come with this significant life change.
As Shields, 59, sat on the porch of her home, she recounted the moment she watched her daughter depart. "I sat here a year ago and I watched my big girl leave – I'm back on this porch and I am now officially an empty nester," she said, referring to the fact that both of her daughters are now enrolled at the same college.
Brooke Shields Navigates Emotional Empty-Nest Phase as Daughter Embarks on College Journey
"They're together at least, but it's really not – it's not easy for the moms," she continued in the Instagram video. "I mean, it's just so weird. It's so weird that she's not here."
Throughout the video, Shields fought back tears as she recalled the difficult moment of parting ways with her daughter. "It was really hard and then she started crying… I really started crying and then I cried a good portion of the ride home."
Brooke Shields Navigates Emotional Empty-Nest Phase as Daughter Embarks on College Journey
Shields, known for her roles in films such as "Pretty Baby" and "The Blue Lagoon," emphasized the profound adjustment that mothers face when their children leave home. "I'm an empty nester. Wow," she added, as she struggled to contain her emotions.
In an interview with "Good Morning America," Shields admitted that she had underestimated the emotional impact of her youngest child going away to college. "You think you’re ready for it, and then people say, ‘Oh you’re gonna have freedom.’ I just… I don’t know. I’m not really prepared for it," she said.
Brooke Shields Navigates Emotional Empty-Nest Phase as Daughter Embarks on College Journey
Shields, who shares daughters Rowan, 21, and Grier, 18, with husband Chris Henchy, acknowledges that her daughters will not be completely out of reach, but the physical separation still takes its toll. "Our girls are so close to us," she told the media outlet. "They're attached in the right way."
The actress noted that her eldest daughter is a senior at college, while her youngest has just started her freshman year. Reflecting on the bond between her daughters, she compared them to a "rubber band" that is always connected but can stretch when needed.
Brooke Shields Navigates Emotional Empty-Nest Phase as Daughter Embarks on College Journey
Shields and Henchy's love story began by chance when the model met the writer through their friends and shared an instant connection. They married in 2001 and welcomed Rowan in 2003 and Grier in 2006.
As Shields navigates the emotional rollercoaster of being an empty nester, she finds solace in the support of her family and her close relationship with her daughters. Her journey serves as a reminder of the bittersweet moments and profound transitions that come with the different stages of parenthood.
