Jennifer Lopez Reveals How She Really Feels About Becoming an Empty Nester When Twins Max and Emme Head to College

Pop star Jennifer Lopez had a transformative year in 2025, finalizing her divorce from Ben Affleck, relisting their extravagant marital home, and purchasing herself a new bachelorette pad. But the chart-topper is already looking ahead to her next major milestone moment: sending her twins Max and Emme off to college.

Lopez, 56, who shares her two children with former spouse Marc Anthony, has several months yet before the 17 year olds head out into the world—yet she admitted on the opening night of her "Up All Night Live in Las Vegas" residency that she has already started preparing for their departure.

The mother of two said she feels nothing but positive about becoming an empty nester, telling Entertainment Tonight that her kids heading to college feels like the next chapter of what has been an emotional "journey" thus far.

"I feel really good about it," she said. "I'm like, [I] can't believe that we've gotten here, you know, just the three of us. It's ... been a journey for all three of us through this life [because] I was a single mom since they were 3 years old."

Although she made no mention of Affleck, whom she wed in 2022 and separated from in 2024, Lopez alluded to the many changes in her life over the years—making a thinly veiled reference to those who have "come in and out of" her life.

"People have come in and out of my life, but it really has just been the three of us," she added. "And to see how they're kind of like thriving right now and the adults, like young adults that they're growing into, and they're so ready for their life.

"They're so ready to get out there, and I remember what that felt like [at] 18."

While Lopez is happy for her kids to make their own way in the world, she noted that the twins will always have a solid home to return to, no matter where they end up—expressing her desire for that foundation to help them achieve whatever they want to as they grow up.

"I'm so excited for that because I know that they have this like, home for them to come home to that is solid and will be solid for them for the rest of their life, and they know that, even more importantly," she said. "So they have that love and they can go out and do whatever they want."

The songstress cemented her enduring bond with her children onstage during her Vegas performance on New Year's Eve, bringing both Max and Emme out to join her in front of a screaming crowd.

Lopez shared a sweet video of the moment on her Instagram, posting a clip of herself embracing her children as fireworks erupted on the stage behind them.

In addition to her kids heading off to college, the singer will also go through some major changes in her own life in the coming months—starting with her move into her new California abode.

The pop star snapped up a $17.5 million guard-gated estate in Hidden Hills, CA, on Feb. 19, just over one month after her divorce from Affleck was finalized, and quickly set about renovating the dwelling to turn it into a sanctuary for her family.

While work on that property is being carried out, Lopez has continued to reside in the enormous Beverly Hills abode she shared with Affleck for a brief time—even after that dwelling was put back on the market for the heavily discounted price of $52 million.

Images shared to her Instagram account over the holiday season indicate that Lopez hosted Christmas festivities at her former marital abode, where she was joined by several of her family members, as well as her two children.

The actress will no doubt be hoping that 2025 marked her final holiday in the property, which she and Affleck have been trying to sell since July 2024, when they listed the home for $68 million.

After the megamansion had spent close to a year on the market, Lopez and Affleck slashed the price to $59.9 million, before delisting the home altogether.

They put it back on the market for the much lower asking price in September.

Even if they achieve their $52 million ask, the former couple stand to take a significant loss on the dwelling, which they purchased for $60.9 million in May 2023.

On top of that hefty price, they then poured significant time and money into renovating the dwelling, adding a wide range of custom amenities, including an indoor sports complex, complete with basketball and pickleball courts, a fully equipped gym, a boxing ring, a sports lounge, and a bar.

As for its more "traditional" features, the home boasts a staggering 12 bedrooms and 24 bathrooms that are dotted around its vast 38,000-square-foot interior. The estate sits on a plum 5.2-acre lot in the Beverly Crest community.