The View’s dynamic co-host, Sunny Hostin, recently revealed the personal challenges she’s facing as her children grow up and leave the nest. It’s not easy letting go, and Sunny isn’t shy about sharing her raw emotions with her fans. In a candid moment during The View’s “Behind the Table” podcast, she opened up about the heartache of saying goodbye to her daughter Paloma Hostin as she heads off to college.
Sunny Hostin's Emotional Farewell
On Monday, September 9, Sunny shared an intimate and heartfelt story about the day she dropped Paloma off at college. "On August 19, I dropped my kid off at school," she began, her voice filled with emotion. "And then I had a complete breakdown. I was crying in the hotel room because she cried. If she hadn't cried, Paloma, I wouldn't have cried. I was almost okay. But seeing her cry broke me. So, I’m going through this rollercoaster of emotions."
A New Chapter, A New Struggle
At 55 years old, Sunny admitted that transitioning into life as an empty nester has been incredibly challenging. But her husband, Emmanuel Hostin, seems to be handling the change a little differently. "He thinks it's great," Sunny shared with a chuckle. Together, Sunny and Manny have two children, Paloma, who's now 18, and their son Gabriel Hostin, 22. Sunny wasn’t expecting the transition to be so tough, but she quickly realized she wasn’t alone in her feelings.
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“I didn’t know that empty nesting grief was a real thing,” Sunny confessed. “It wasn’t until after Paloma left for school that my friends started sending me articles about it. Some women even go through depression, start therapy, or end up institutionalized. It’s a real thing because when you’ve identified yourself as a mom for the past 22 years, and all of a sudden that changes, it’s hard. Sure, I’m still a lawyer, a journalist, and a mom, but the day-to-day responsibilities of being 'mom'—tidying up their rooms, cooking dinner, all that stuff—it’s what my kids lovingly call 'momification.' I really enjoy spending time with my children, and I thought Manny did too.”
Emmanuel Hostin's Perspective
Surprisingly, Sunny’s husband has been walking around the house in high spirits lately. “He feels like he’s got his wife back,” Sunny said with a mix of amusement and disbelief. “He’s like, ‘I got my wife back,’ and I’m like, ‘No, you have your wife without her children.’” Sunny explained that Manny has been embracing the newfound freedom, going on 40-mile bike rides at 5 a.m., stripping down to his skivvies, and making coffee each morning. “He just loves it so much,” Sunny said, shaking her head in wonder. “He’s pretty frugal, but now he’s like, ‘Let’s order in. What are we having for dinner?’”
“I’m just sitting there, like, who is this person?” Sunny reflected. “It’s like a honeymoon phase for him. A lot of my friends have told me that I need to embrace that, and so I’m trying to work on that even though I’m still feeling the grief part of it.”
Words of Wisdom from Kelly Ripa
Sunny also shared that she reached out to fellow mom Kelly Ripa for advice. After Kelly’s kids, Michael, Lola, and Joaquin, moved out, she and her husband Mark Consuelos embraced their new life as empty nesters. “Kelly told me that being an empty nester is ‘great’ and that the kids always come back to visit,” Sunny said. “She made it sound so easy, but I’m still working through my feelings.”
Sunny admitted that she’s been texting her kids every morning since they left. “My daughter finally said, ‘Mom, I’m fine,’” Sunny laughed. “So I think that means I should stop the texting and do more stalking.” Despite the humor, Sunny’s journey as an empty nester is a poignant reminder that change, even when it’s bittersweet, is a natural part of life.
