This is what happens to Omega Moms!
Omega Moms
I homeschooled my 5 kids in a community of LOTS of homeschooling families. My youngest graduated high school in a crop of about 30 peers. Many of his graduating friends were also the youngest in their families. There were so many of us moms experiencing the youngest getting ready to journey off into life that we were a phenomena! A phenomena needs a name, so one of the dads christened us: Omega Moms.
ANY MOM WHOSE YOUNGEST GRADUATES HIGH SCHOOL IS AN OMEGA MOM!
In the old days, we would have been called *Empty Nesters*. Omega Moms don’t really fit the Empty Nest moniker anymore.
An Empty Nest Mom is one who has been a stay-at-home mom who faces a crisis when the youngest graduates. What’s her purpose? What’s the meaning of life if she’s not raising kids?
We Omega Moms don’t fit that description. Many of us had already been working for pay AND raising our kids, or volunteering LOTS of ours with our kids. While we loved raising our kids, the feeling of crisis wasn’t the same as the loss felt by Empty Nest Moms of the last generation.
The crisis Omega Moms tend to feel revolves around questions like:
- Did I do enough?
- Are my kids prepared for life?
- What will my journey be like now that I have more freedom from my time obligations?
- I have lots of opportunities for adventure. Which ones should I choose?
No matter how awesome those child-rearing years were, we moms never escape mother guilt. I have the immovable opinion that motherhood is all about guilt. That’s why we have a loving God who can be perfect for our kids- we can trust Him with the journey of their lives.
But what about us Omega Moms? What happens to us?
God keeps working in our lives, guiding us into new adventures and new trails. When we arrive at the Omega Mom part of life, our new (or maybe simply adjusted) journeys begin!
The Omega Moms that I know have tweaked career paths, launched into new careers, increased their community involvement, or have become full-time sandwich generation caregivers for parents and grandkids. We’ve been burned often enough in life that we are more determined to ditch dysfunctional organizations and look for those with healthier environments and attitudes to be involved with. We are experienced with life and with faith but wise enough to know we have a long way to go. We are willing to grow! We are confident in our ability to survive and make good things happen in adventure that comes.
Here are some tips for Omega Moms:
- Refresh your prayer life. Learn some fresh ways to pray (like download the FREEBIE: Ignatian Examen, it’s fun)!
- Re-discover yourself. When’s the last time you truly KNEW yourself?
- Dream new dreams. This is a good time to do some Career Exploration for Grownups.
- Develop some new skills. Any new skill will do. God will use some of them as He guides you into your new adventures, the others will just be fun!
- Talk with a Life Transitions Coach. I can serve as your guide, alongside the work God is doing. Contact me to get started.
Hooray for Omega Moms! Praise God we made it this far. The journey ahead will have lots of good!
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