Empty Nest 101: The 5 Steps to Surviving and Thriving

For all the emotional upheaval and sense of loss, many couples find that this empty nest period brings a rekindling of romance, and a renewed honeymoon with their spouse of 20+ years. It's all a matter of how carefully you nurtured your marriage over the years, and what you do with it now. Family therapists Catherine and Steven Freemire sum it up in three words: Date your spouse.

• Nurturing a Happy Marriage for the Empty Nest Years

• The Importance of Date Nights

• 8 Great Date Night Ideas

This is part of an e-course for parents on "Surviving and Thriving in the Empty Nest." Browse through these pages or sign up for the "Empty Nest 101" weekly newsletter, and get it delivered via e-mail.