Is there anything more devastating than watching your baby bird leave the nest? Oliver Hudson and his fabulous wife Erinn Bartlett just experienced ALL the feels when they packed up their eldest son Wilder and shipped him off to college, and let’s just say the tissues were flowing like champagne at a Beverly Hills brunch.
The proud mama took to Instagram to share the bittersweet milestone, posting an adorable throwback of baby Wilder with the caption: “This little guy turned 19 yesterday and we moved him into college last week.” But here’s where it gets real, bestie—Erinn didn’t hold back about the emotional tsunami that ensued. The 53-year-old admitted there were “lots of tears” involved in the whole process, and honestly? We’re not crying, YOU’RE crying!
Listen, we all know that celebrity parents try to keep it together and project this image of unflappable perfection, but Oliver Hudson’s family just proved that even Hollywood royalty gets hit with the empty nest blues. Watching your child venture into the world is no joke, and the fact that Erinn was raw and honest about it? That’s the kind of real talk we LIVE for on this side of the internet.
Wilder, who just celebrated his 19th birthday, is stepping into a whole new chapter of his life, and his parents couldn’t be more proud—even if that pride comes wrapped up in a box of tissues. The couple, who have built a gorgeous life together in the entertainment industry, knows that this is just the natural order of things, but that doesn’t make it any easier when you’re actually doing it.
Social media has been absolutely flooded with supportive comments from fellow parents who get it. Everyone from stay-at-home moms to A-list celebrities have been chiming in with their own empty nest stories, and the sentiment is universal: it HURTS, but in the best way possible. There’s nothing like watching your kid spread their wings and soar, even if your heart is simultaneously breaking into a million pieces.
The Hudson-Bartlett family is giving us all the feels and reminding us that being a celebrity parent isn’t that different from being any other parent—you love them fiercely, you support their dreams, and yes, you absolutely ugly cry when they drive away to campus.
What do you think? A) Empty nest is the hardest parenting milestone B) College send-off should be celebrated, not mourned