by Marguerite Elisofon | Jun 5, 2015 | bar mitzvahs, California, careers, college, daughters, empty nest, families, goodbyes, growing up, high school, homework, middle school, sons, toddlers, young adults
Empty Nest Moments This week’s post was inspired by my son’s move to the West coast where he will start a new job. Henry and I are excited and proud, but also sad. It’s the end of an era, and the beginning of the rest of our lives. I’m sure...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Oct 3, 2014 | 1950s, autism, breadwinners, caregivers, college grads, empty nest, gender roles, Little League, New York Times, Pace, parenting, rugby, special needs, Stay-Home Fathers, twins, Vassar, working mothers, young adults
When kids leave home, do fathers feel worse than mothers these days? That was the question explored by “Sad Dads in the Empty Nest” in Sunday’s New York Times (9/21/14). According to the article, the empty nest transition for dads has become harder than ever...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Aug 15, 2014 | ADHD, autism, Brad Sachs, Emptying The Nest, family life, forgiving, grieving, Henry Kissinger, interdependence, marriage, parenting, psychopharmacology, stress, twins, young adults
This week I decided to post my very first book review on The Never-Empty Nest. What could be more a propos than reviewing Brad Sachs’ Emptying the Nest, about “launching your young adult toward success and self-reliance?” With my young adult twins half in and...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Jul 18, 2014 | ADHD, Alzheimer's, autism, bipolar, doctors' offices, elder abuse, elderly, Eliott Rodger, health forms, HIPAA, lawmakers, mental illness, privacy laws., schizophrenia, STDs, unwanted pregnancies, young adults
Who dreamed up a law that prevents parents from access to medical information about their over 18 year-old kids—unless these famously still-adolescent offspring have signed a HIPAA waiver? I’m betting that in most cases even neurotypical kids want and need...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Jun 13, 2014 | air conditioning, autism, college graduates, construction, elevators, emissions, family, landlords, love nest, Neil Simon, Norwich Terriers, Second Avenue, subways, tenants, traffic, young adults
The way our family lives now has completely changed from ten years ago—but not necessarily for the better. Ever since New York City started work on a subway for Second Avenue—where unfortunately our nest is located—our quality of life has gone downhill. Even...
by Marguerite Elisofon | Aug 16, 2013 | ADD, ADHD, autism, autistic, college, dog boarding, family issues, Greece, Jello, Mykonos, parenting, prescription drugs, spectrum disorder, travel, Turkey, vacation diets, vacations, young adults
It’s very exciting to be going on vacation with my family to Turkey and Greece for two weeks. My husband, Henry, meticulously planned all the sightseeing, restaurants and travel arrangements with the same enthusiasm and attention to detail that he gives to...
Marguerite Elisofon is a New York City writer and the author of My Picture Perfect Family, a memoir about how her family navigated life with a child on the autistic spectrum before the internet and support groups existed. She also blogs about parenting young adults and disability related issues in The Never Empty Nest. Her writing has been featured in a variety of publications, including Time and NY Metro Parents magazine, and her family’s story has been featured by the NY Post, Fox News, The Daily Mail, and on Jenny McCarthy’s Dirty Sexy Funny radio show. A Vassar graduate, Marguerite was born and raised in New York City, where she still lives with her husband, Howard, in their mostly-empty nest. She is available to speak about a wide variety of issues relating to twins, parenting, and autism. 