Hi all,
This conversation has brought together a new group of people experiencing the sense of abandonment by their adult children. It's obvious by the response that this situation is experienced by many, which was confirmed when I did a quick Google search on the topic.
With respect to the community guidelines (https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/tab/community-guidelines/), I would like to keep the conversation inclusive and not focused on specific religious beliefs.
What can we do when we feel abandoned by our adult children? Here are a few articles I found during the aforementioned internet search that offer insight and practical tips:
- What to Do When Your Adult Children Don’t Like You https://www.nextavenue.org/what-do-when-your-adult-children-dont-you/
- 5 Reasons Why Adult Children Estrange From Their Parents https://wehavekids.com/family-relationships/adult-child-estranged-reasons
- Dear Therapist: I Don’t Understand Why My Son Won’t Talk to Me https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/06/my-adult-child-wont-talk-me/591274/
What stood out for me from all these articles is the need to see the situation from another perspective. My daughter only moved away from home this year. When returning home on breaks from university, she has the choice of coming home or going to her boyfriend's place. If I were 20 again, I know which I would choose, right? 🙂 My focus when she or she and her boyfriend come to visit, is to make our home a place they would like to return to visit. This is new for me, so I'm learning from you.
I know many of you are feeling like they should change, but the only person we can change is ourselves. If you've read the articles, what resonated with you? What might be one thing you could change?
Thank you. It makes perfect sense