Family

As a parent over 60, you may have thought your relationship with your adult children was solid and unbreakable. However, estrangement can happen to anyone, regardless of age or circumstances. If you find yourself estranged…

Many of us whose children have entered their 30s are still waiting to become grandparents. We understand that our kids have every right to make their own decisions about when and whether to become parents. If they never want to have children…

My neighbor, Heidi, recently told me, “I’ve forgiven my mother, but I won’t go to her funeral.” My friend Lynne has not communicated with her mother in 30 years. She occasionally trolls for a death certificate because, as the only child, there might be something…

I am not a good bed partner. Well, maybe I should say that I have never been a good sleeping partner. I need full and absolute possession of the bed. I move, I squirm, I sigh and sometimes, I am told, I even snore. I dream a lot. I wake up early and often during the…

What do you do if you want to write a tribute legacy letter to your parent, but he or she is not the perfect parent? After all, do parents like June and Ward Cleaver, the parents of Beaver and Wally from the TV show, Leave it to Beaver, even exist? Perhaps, but I certainly never even met anyone like them!

Things don’t always turn out as expected. More often than not, I think, the expectations were probably too optimistic in the first place and the surprise is an unwelcome one. This is a lovely story of the reverse…

It’s no secret that the process of separating from a partner and starting a new life alone can be daunting, overwhelming, and scary. The fear of the unknown can create an endless list of worries, doubts, and concerns that can make it difficult…

I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like I see women wearing hats much anymore. As a child, we once lived with my grandmother for about six months while our house was being built and my favorite thing to do was play in her hat closet…

I have never hidden the fact that I am happily married. My husband and I very much enjoy each other’s company. We talk a lot and laugh a lot. And each is the go-to person when either of us want to discuss some problem – large or small…

Parenting is a complex and rewarding journey that comes with its own set of challenges. As parents age, they may wonder what kind of parents are not at risk for estrangement from their adult children. While every family and every relationship is unique…