The Real Problem With My Son’s Empty Bedroom

When it comes time for teenagers to move away from home, there are two types of parents. There are those who leave the teen’s empty bedroom exactly the same, like a shrine to their childhood. And then there are the parents who break out packing boxes and start remodeling the room before the kid’s out of the driveway.

I always thought I’d be the latter, because I’ve had my eye on my son Seth’s bedroom for a long time. I work from home, with one of the rooms in our finished basement serving as...