Being an effective parent of adult children has many stages, is different with every adult-child, and is often dependent on the dynamics in place from the earlier years. Just as there is no instruction manual for brand new parents, there are also no instructions available for how to be an effective parent of adult children. Doing an internet search will provide you with tons of “canned” advice, that at least for me is rather pointless.
Read what others are saying about the Hope Coach:
You have a clear, well-balanced approach to parenting, which is both profound and rare. ~Lisa
It is very reassuring to me to know that, as you said, I am “not defined by my children’s choices”. Thank goodness for that. ~Becky Jane
I have 2 adult kids that have moved back home every time they got into financial trouble. ~BJ
I have kept on giving with only the faith that one day they will know that I loved them and those that have chosen to back away return to loving arms. ~Lisa
Your ideas were so helpful, and interesting because this is a topic my mom and I were just discussing. Thank you. ~Nicole
Without good tools, loving and being respectful gets all mixed up and nobody feels good about what’s going on. I’ve discovered that changing is hard even if its the right thing to do. ~aw
Parenting Adult Children
For the last 12 years I have had adult children. I’ve made many mistakes, some of which are long-lasting. The interactions I currently have with each of my four adult children bring enormous joy, sometimes brings pain, sometimes regret and guilt, often challenges me, and is rarely as frequent as I would like. From my own experiences and from walking with many other families through the process of becoming more effective as parents of adult children, I can offer you an ‘insiders perspective’ on this most challenging stage of life.
- Are you concerned about relationship choices your adult children are making that may be putting them in danger?
- Are your adult children too close, or not as close as you would like?
- Do your adult children communicate rarely, or express their “need” for your help (emotional or financial) more than you think is healthy?
- Do you know you’ve made mistakes in raising your children and now want to do some healing work?
- Are there some of your own personal issues that come up when you interact with your adult children that are negatively impacting your relationship with them?
- Do you feel guilty, defensive, angry, sad about your past or current relationship with your adult children, and need some help to find a healthy way through those feelings?
- Do your adult children use you to bail them out of situations they got themselves into?
- Do you need to hide your checkbook (your pills, your car keys, your valuables…) when your adult child comes for a visit (or to stay)?
- Is your adult child in an abusive relationship? Has your adult child become an abuser?
- Is your adult child in trouble with the law?
- Do you struggle to have healthy boundaries between you and your adult child?
Help from the Hope Coach
Parenting adult children is an ongoing process of an adult relationship “becoming”, and there is always a better way. For straight talk from a mom who has “been there done that”, stick around! Choose the Coaching Services package that is right for you, and lets work together to transform the relationship between you and your adult child.
***DISCLAIMER***
I’m often asked if I’m a therapist. I am not. Although I have worked in the past as a Recovery Counselor, I do not have a degree in counseling, and prefer to be “just” a Hope Coach. I cannot guarantee a specific outcome from my Hope Coaching Services – either that a relationship will be healed or that you or other people will make better choices or feel differently. I carefully guard the thousands of secrets that have been told to me over the years and will continue to do so. I also carefully guard against unhealthy “secrets” and do not hesitate to refer to a professional when necessary. If you believe you may harm yourself or someone else, please immediately contact the emergency services in your area. What I offer is my own experience, strength and Hope, both as a parent of teenagers and adults, and in healing the relationship between myself and my own parents.
Recent posts on parenting adult children:
