The Empty Nest

For most parents the empty nest is a lift rather than a loss. In national panel data, marital happiness rose after children left, and in the first year after the last child moved out, women's positive mood rose and daily hassles fell. Couples enjoy their time together more, and frequent contact keeps the bond close. In the UAE, 57,035 students started university in 2024 to 2025.

What the report found

1. In the UAE, more young people are starting university and work, and many stay close. Dubai's private universities reached a record 42,026 students in 2024 to 2025, new admissions across the UAE rose by 13 per cent to 57,035, 154,000 Emiratis now work in the private sector, and housing programmes help young citizens set up homes of their own.
2. For most parents, the empty nest is a lift rather than a loss. In national panel data, marital happiness rose for parents after children left. In the first year after the last child moved out, women's positive mood rose and daily hassles fell, and only a minority of parents describe the change as a hard time.
3. Contact keeps the bond, and autonomy helps the child. Phone calls with parents go with closer relationships, young adults who chose their living arrangement for their own reasons report greater wellbeing, and parents whose children stay in frequent contact gain most in life satisfaction.
4. Couples rediscover their time together. Over 18 years of middle age, marital satisfaction rose with the empty nest because time with a partner became more enjoyable, not because there was more of it. Shared activities that are new and exciting lift relationship quality further.
5. The home, the routine and the budget are remade. A change in household is a natural moment to set new habits. Households save only a little more when children leave, so much of the money goes into living, and research favours experiences and travel, where even the anticipation lifts mood.

What is inside

1. The moment
2. Before: the countdown
3. During: the leaving and the first year
4. After: the couple, the home and the budget
5. How the moment is lived across the Gulf
6. What lasts

Plus a phase map of the moment, an illustrated first year, a map of midlife roles and a data panel of UAE and Gulf figures.

Who it is for

For parents whose children are leaving for university or work, for young people and their families, and for universities, employers and services in the UAE and the Gulf.

How we work

Moment Reports look at how people think and decide at particular points in the year or in life, starting with the UAE and then the wider Gulf. Every claim is graded Established, Emerging or Untested, and where researchers disagree, both sides are set out before we say where we stand.

Cite this report

The Why We Project (2026) The Empty Nest: When the children leave home. Moment Report No. 19. Dubai: Why We Tech Ltd. Available at: thewhyweproject.com