"I believe, instinctively, ancestrally, in bread bins; I come from bread-bin stock. But since we acquired ours five years ago, it has been used probably five times."
"We are now a Nandoâs-free household after years of peri-peri tyranny, but I find myself pining for macho peas and pallid, lukewarm chips."
"It turns out that even I am not a bread-bin person. Our younger son just turned 21, meaning we are a childless household in every official sense of the term."
"I donât want a dog. It has been 18 months since my beloved dog Oscar died... but I donât want to nurture anything more demanding than our roster of surrogate children."
The article explores the author's unexpected realizations as an empty nester, reflecting on the dynamics of their household and long-standing habits. Despite a belief in bread bins, the author discovers that they rarely use theirs. With children grown, they grapple with nostalgia for family routines, food preferences, and the urge to embrace a new lifestyle. The author humorously alludes to societal expectations, such as getting a dog after their pet's death, while choosing to maintain a low-maintenance household instead. Ultimately, the piece encapsulates the bittersweet nature of transitioning away from active parenting.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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