Jennifer Lopez Opens Up on 18-Year-Old Twins Leaving for College

Q: As celebrity parents grieve their 'empty nests,' what unspoken pressure does this place on their college-bound children?

The unspoken pressure is that college-bound children can feel responsible for managing their parents’ grief just as they are trying to build independent lives. Jennifer Lopez’s comments capture a common dynamic behind the celebrity version of the “empty nest”: when a parent openly mourns the loss of a tight family unit, a child may absorb the message that leaving is not just a milestone, but a source of pain for the parent. Behavioral health experts describe empty nest syndrome as involving sadness, loneliness, identity disruption and loss of purpose. For children, that can translate into guilt about being excited to leave, pressure to call or visit constantly, and a sense that they must reassure a parent rather than focus on their own adjustment. That pressure can be stronger in high-profile families because the transition is often discussed publicly and emotionally, turning a private separation into a visible narrative. Children may feel they must be grateful, successful and emotionally available at the same time, especially when parents frame the household as a central life anchor after divorce or other family upheaval. Experts generally advise that the burden should not fall on the student. Healthy adjustment depends on parents processing their own grief, avoiding overinvolvement, and respecting the child’s changing schedule and identity. The goal is continued connection without making the student feel indebted for a parent’s happiness.

3 articles · Updated · E! NEWS · Jun 10

Lopez said sending Max and Emme to college at the end of the summer has become more emotional than she expected, with graduation preparations repeatedly bringing her to tears.
The 56-year-old told Andy Cohen she initially felt ready because her twins are independent, but writing a message for their school graduation program made the impending change feel real.
Lopez said the transition hits hard because it has long been “the three of us,” referring to the close bond she has maintained with the twins since her split from Marc Anthony.
She has already started practical preparations, telling Jimmy Kimmel in May that the family was gathering sheets and packing items the twins want to take to their dorms.
Despite the empty-nester anxiety, Lopez said she wants both 18-year-olds to pursue their dreams and still believes leaving for college “is going to be great.”