As Kelly Ripa and her husband Mark Consuelos gear up for the day when their youngest son, Joaquin, leaves for college, the beloved TV personality has shared a clever and humorous plan for dealing with empty nest syndrome. Let’s dive into what she’s got in store for this next chapter in their lives.
When asked how she plans to handle the transition, Kelly, who’s now 49, jokingly told People on February 19, “We’re going to be totally naked, at all times. We are going to change the locks!” It’s a lighthearted take on a serious milestone, and Kelly’s humor didn’t stop there. “People are like, ‘Oh, you’re gonna miss the kids.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t know, I wanna experiment with it. See how that goes,’” she quipped, bringing laughter to the conversation while also revealing the couple’s playful approach to their future.
Family Life in Transition: The Ripa-Consuelos Household
It’s only a matter of time before Kelly and Mark find themselves in the empty nest phase. Joaquin, who is 16, has just over a year left before he heads off to college. Meanwhile, their older children have already spread their wings. Michael Consuelos, 22, is carving out a career in Hollywood and currently resides in Brooklyn. Lola, their 18-year-old daughter, is enjoying her freshman year at New York University. It’s a new chapter for the family, one that Kelly and Mark are embracing with both humor and excitement.
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Two Decades of Love: A Marriage That Thrives
Kelly also took the opportunity to reflect on her 24-year marriage to Mark. In an industry where relationships can be fleeting, the couple has managed to build a strong, lasting bond. “We encourage each other,” Kelly gushed. “People might think it sounds cheesy, but we’re truly best friends. We love each other, we like each other, and we’ve been blessed with these incredible kids. We feel so fortunate to have found each other in this big, crazy world. He’s from Italy, I’m from south Jersey—what are the odds we’d meet and build such a beautiful life together?”
Though Kelly and Mark are eagerly anticipating the day when they’ll have the house to themselves, there was a bittersweet moment when Lola left for college in August 2019. As they kissed her goodbye, Kelly revealed how much she’d miss her only daughter. “#tbt 2001 from your christening to college. In the blink of an eye,” she wrote alongside a throwback photo. “I’m not crying. You’re crying. Actually, Daddy’s sobbing.”
Adjusting to Life Without the Kids
During a September episode of Live!, Kelly opened up about the moment she realized just how quickly time flies when it comes to raising kids. “We moved Lola into her dorm, and it’s one of those things that you don’t realize how fast the time goes by until it’s right in front of you,” she admitted. Despite the emotional moments, Kelly and Mark remain optimistic about their future together. “Empty nesters or not, we always have a good time!” she concluded, reminding us all that life is full of beautiful transitions.
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