Brooke Shields says the high cost of living in NYC might work in her favor by keeping her kids at home for longer
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- Brooke Shields, who has two college-age daughters, is learning to deal with empty nest syndrome.
- However, she says that New York City's high cost of living might help keep her kids at home for longer.
- After all, more and more Gen Zs are choosing to live with their parents to save money.
Brooke Shields is dealing with empty nest syndrome now that her two daughters, Rowan Francis Henchy, 20, and Grier Hammond Henchy, 18, are all grown up.
During an appearance on SiriusXM's "The Jess Cagle Show with Julia Cunningham," the actor spoke about her close relationship with her children, whom she shares with husband Chris Henchy.
"You know, the minute my husband is on any type of work trip or gone or something, they still sleep in the bed with me," Shields told cohost Julia Cunningham. "We still would watch romcoms. They're my babies, you know, and they will never not be."
Shields' eldest daughter, Rowan, is already in college, while her youngest daughter, Grier, will be moving out soon — leaving the actor an empty nester.
"I've been avoiding thinking of it, because people will say to me, 'Oh, you're gonna be so relieved,' and I just don't see it happening," the "Blue Lagoon" actor said.
However, Shields — who lives in the West Village of Manhattan — says she knows her kids are "still going to come back" to their family home.
"And by the way, the cost of living just in this city is so prohibitive anyway that it may work in my favor," Shields said. "Maybe I'll start charging them rent though. That might be a good idea."
After all, more Gen Zs are choosing to live with their parents to save money: According to Pew Research, 57% of those aged between 18 to 24 in America are living with their parents, up from 53% in 1993.
This isn't the first time that Shields has spoken about her children leaving for college.
In August 2022, Shields posted an Instagram video about her eldest daughter going back to school after summer break.
"I just had to wave my daughter goodbye again," Shields said in the video while wiping away her tears. "I thought it would be easier the second time because she's already been away, and she's been with me all summer, but…"
Shields also isn't the only celebrity mom who has spoken about dealing with an empty nest. In March, Gwyneth Paltrow shared that the idea of becoming an empty nester was making her anxious.
"It's kind of giving me a nervous breakdown, if I'm honest. I started being like, 'Oh my God, and I need to quit my job and I need to sell my house and I need to move.' It's sort of putting things into turmoil," Paltrow said.
A representative for Shields did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours.