Jennifer Lopez is adjusting to a very different home life as her 18-year-old twins, Max and Emme, prepare to embark on their next chapter.
The 57-year-old singer and actress—who is attempting to sell her and ex-husband Ben Affleck‘s $50 million marital mansion—opened up about the emotional reality of becoming an empty nester in a candid video on social media, admitting that the transition has already brought plenty of tears.
Lopez, who shares her twins with ex-husband Marc Anthony, explained that she has been thinking a lot about the importance of maintaining a routine as her children head off to college.
“My kids are going away to college,” she said while going through her morning skincare regimen.
The “On the Floor” singer revealed that she made a point of soaking up as much time as possible with Max and Emme over the summer, including traveling with them before they began their new lives away from home.
“I was thinking about this summer and what a great summer it was. We got to go away together. I spent as much time with them as I could,” she recalled.
Now, however, Lopez is facing the reality of returning to a much quieter home—and admitted that it hasn’t been easy.
“When they go away and I’m sitting here being an empty nester, and crying and thinking about them and looking at baby pictures of them and all of that stuff, these routines are the things that are going to keep me kind of sane,” she shared.
For Lopez, those routines include exercising, taking care of her skin, and making an effort to prioritize herself as she navigates the newfound free time that comes with having two college-age children.
“Working out, doing my skincare routine, caring for myself, with the newfound kind of space that’s in your life,” she said.
But the superstar also acknowledged that the milestone comes with conflicting emotions. While she is thrilled to watch Max and Emme begin their adult lives, their departure also marks a major change for her.
“You’re so excited for them to step into this new era of their life, but it’s also, we have to remember, it’s a new era of our lives, too,” Lopez explained.
She encouraged other parents experiencing a similar transition to look at the change as an opportunity to reconnect with interests or ambitions that may have taken a back seat while raising children.
“Maybe it’s time to revive some old dreams that you had,” she suggested, adding that parents might return to something they “put aside during the time that you were raising your kids” or simply pursue activities they previously didn’t have time for.
Still, Lopez didn’t shy away from admitting that embracing such a significant lifestyle change can be daunting.
“It’s a scary time. It’s a transitional time. It’s a new beginning, in a lot of ways, for them, certainly, but also for you,” she said.
She ended her message on an optimistic note, urging others entering the empty-nest phase to continue looking after themselves and finding purpose in their new routines.
“Keep your routines going. Stay hydrated. Stay happy, stay joyful, stay productive,” she said. Lopez has been preparing for the milestone for months.
Earlier this year, she revealed during an interview with “Extra” that both Max and Emme had been accepted into all five colleges they applied to, with each also receiving a scholarship offer.
The proud mom also spoke about how hard the twins had worked to reach that point, explaining that both have ADHD and have had to find approaches to learning that work for them.
Lopez also made sure to carve out plenty of time with her children before their departure. Over the summer, she documented a road trip through Italy with Max and Emme.
And while Lopez is clearly excited about what lies ahead for her children, she made clear that their departure represents a major adjustment for her as well.
Rather than focusing solely on the sadness that can accompany an empty nest, she is approaching the transition as a chance to establish new routines and revisit parts of her own life that may have taken a back seat while raising her children.
Now, as Max and Emme prepare for life away from the family home, Lopez is embracing a new chapter of her own—even if that means allowing herself a few tears along the way.
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