新聞報(bào)道中，空巢族總是被描述為值得關(guān)注和同情的一個(gè)群體。他們的孩子不在身邊，他們的生活了無生趣。可是在國外，孩子成年從家里搬出去獨(dú)立生活，父母成了空巢族，但是他們一點(diǎn)都不失落。他們覺得重新獲得了自由，在家里活動(dòng)的空間更大，所以，他們是快樂的空巢族。

The day the children move out of home and start a life of their own is a milestone many mothers dread. Or do they?
孩子們從家里搬出去開始獨(dú)立生活是很多母親都害怕面對的一個(gè)時(shí)刻。真的是這樣嗎？

Far from rattling about their empty nest, most women find themselves enjoying their new freedom and savouring the pleasure of having their home to themselves.
大部分女性（在孩子搬出去以后）并沒有成天在空蕩蕩的屋子里晃來晃去，而是發(fā)現(xiàn)自己特別享受這種重新獲得的自由，也很享受這種整個(gè)房子都?xì)w自己的樂趣。

No one raiding the fridge, piling up washing or coming in at all hours seems to have a way of soothing maternal feelings of loss.
沒有人會(huì)在冰箱里亂翻、堆起一堆要洗的衣服，或者回家沒點(diǎn)兒，這些似乎對略顯失落的母性情懷有很好的安慰作用。

Researchers surveying mothers who had waved their children off gave them the title ‘happy empty nesters’ – or HENs.
研究人員給這些把孩子送出去自立的母親取了個(gè)名字叫“快樂空巢族”，簡寫為HENs。

One in seven mothers said they were not as upset as they thought they would be after their children flew the nest, and a third said they were ‘relaxed’ about the life change.
七分之一的母親表示，孩子搬出去以后他們并沒有想象中那么失落，三分之一的母親則表示對于這樣的生活變化很淡定。

The overwhelming majority said they were delighted to see their offspring gaining some independence.
大部分母親都表示看到自己的孩子獨(dú)立很開心。（英文來源：Daily Mail）

（中國日報(bào)網(wǎng)英語點(diǎn)津 Helen）