Jennifer Lopez is currently navigating a major life shift, and honestly, it’s one almost every parent dreads. Her twins, Max and Emme, are 17 now. They’re standing right on the edge of adulthood, looking at dorm rooms and lecture halls. Recently, Jennifer Lopez discusses mixed feelings about twins leaving for college, and her take is surprisingly raw for a global superstar who usually keeps things polished.
She isn't just a pop icon right now. She's a mom facing an empty nest.
While opening her Up All Night Live in Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in early 2026, she got real with Entertainment Tonight. She admitted that while she’s "so excited" for them to start their own lives, there’s a heavy sense of reflection. It’s been "just the three of us" since the kids were only three years old. That's a long time to be a tight-knit unit.
The "Just the Three of Us" Reality
Lopez has been through a lot of public relationship changes. We've seen the headlines. But throughout the divorces and the media storms, Max and Emme were her constant. She shared that while people have "come in and out" of her life, the bond with her twins remained the foundation.
Raising them as a single mother for the bulk of their lives created a specific kind of intensity. You've probably felt that if you're a parent—that feeling that your world revolves around their school schedule and dinner times.
"They’re so ready to get out there," she noted. She remembers being 18 and wanting to conquer the world. But seeing it from the other side? That’s where the "mixed" part of the feelings kicks in.
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Navigating the College Search Process
It’s not just talk, either. They’ve been doing the work. In late 2025, JLo was spotted hitting the pavement, visiting campuses and helping with those grueling applications and essays.
- Campus Tours: She mentioned visiting schools in New York right in the middle of her film premieres.
- The Emotional Toll: She admitted to "melting" just being in her son Max’s presence after being away for a week of filming.
- The Transition: The twins started their senior year in August 2025, marking the final countdown to move-out day.
Why Jennifer Lopez Discusses Mixed Feelings About Twins Leaving for College Now
Timing is everything. Lopez is 56. She just finalized a high-profile divorce from Ben Affleck in 2025. She’s moving into a new $17.5 million estate in Hidden Hills, which she’s been renovating to be a "sanctuary."
The house is ready. The sanctuary is built. But the people it was built for are packing their bags.
The Fear of the Quiet House
"I don't know if I am prepared for it," she confessed in an interview. That’s a bold admission for someone whose brand is "unstoppable."
She’s a "take it day-by-day" person, but the silence of an empty house is a different beast. She’s joked about maybe enjoying some of the peace, but the mission of her life since 2008 has been creating a home that "tastes and smells like home" for them. When the audience for that home-cooked meal leaves, the identity crisis can hit hard.
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Clinical Perspective: Empty Nest Syndrome
Psychologists often see this in high-achieving parents. Dr. Billie Dunlevy, a BACP-accredited therapist, notes that primary caregivers—especially single parents—often face a profound loss of purpose.
Lopez has spent nearly two decades being "Mom" first. Even if she’s performing for thousands in Vegas, she says her kids aren't "phased" by her work. They just want to know if she'll be home for dinner. That grounding influence is about to move several hours (or states) away.
The Logistics of Max and Emme’s Departure
The twins turn 18 in February 2026. Graduation is set for June.
They’ve grown up in the spotlight, but Jennifer insists they are "normal" teenagers. They aren't trying to be famous; they’re trying to figure out their own paths. Emme has shown musical talent, famously performing at the Super Bowl, while Max has explored acting, but their college choices seem focused on finding their own identities outside of the "JLo" brand.
Building a "Solid" Landing Pad
One thing Lopez emphasized is that her new home is a permanent base. She wants them to know that no matter where they go, the foundation is "solid."
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- Emotional Security: Ensuring they know they have a place to return to.
- Independence: Encouraging them to "go out and do whatever they want."
- Stability: After a chaotic few years of moving and blended family dynamics, she’s prioritizing a sense of "home" that doesn't change.
What Other Parents Can Learn
Watching a celebrity like Lopez struggle with this makes it feel a bit more universal. If she’s worried about a quiet house despite having a Vegas residency and a film career, it’s okay for the rest of us to feel a little lost too.
The strategy she’s using is one of anticipatory grief. She’s talking about it early. She’s visiting the schools. She’s acknowledging the "scary" parts of the transition instead of pretending everything is perfect.
Actionable Steps for Transitioning to an Empty Nest
If you’re in the same boat as JLo, here is how to handle the "mixed feelings" of the college transition:
- Lean into the "Day-by-Day" Mentality: Don't try to imagine the next four years. Just focus on the application due tomorrow or the next campus tour.
- Reclaim Your Space: Like Lopez renovating her Hidden Hills home, use this time to change your environment. Turn a playroom into a hobby room or a gym.
- Separate Your Identity: Start finding things that aren't "Mom" or "Dad" related. Lopez has her residency; find your equivalent, whether it's a project at work or a personal goal.
- Maintain the "Solid Home" Philosophy: Focus on making the home a place they want to visit, rather than a place they feel guilty for leaving.
The journey from a "close-knit three" to a solo act is daunting. But as Lopez herself said, she remembers what it felt like to be 18 and ready to fly. Supporting that flight is the final, and perhaps hardest, job of parenting.
She’s going to be okay. You probably will be, too. It’s just going to be a little quiet for a while.