Adult Children

Have you ever stopped to think about how very odd it is to have children? It is, when you come to think about it, one of the most peculiar things we ever do. The decision to have children is an enormous leap in the dark, with very little control…

At least 27% of individuals in the United States are estranged from one or more family members. Women over 60, who culturally prefer not to air their family’s laundry, are often shrouded in secrecy. Indeed, this makes a lot of sense; all the uncertainty, shame…

Christmas is in just a few weeks. My adult children, who finally, truly left the nest this year, were not happy when I told them about the Christmas I am planning for this year when they come home for the holidays. “No tree,” I said. Arose a chorus of complaints…

In our 60s, attending to our needs and improving our relationships is more important than ever before. Time is of the essence, but making the most of our time takes practice. One way to enrich our lives is by applying boundaries to accommodate…

The best benefit of “Camp Grandma & Grandpa” for us during last summer’s pandemic peak was precious time with our grandsons and their parents. We never shared this many weeks together with them since their own childhood… and they probably…

Any excitement I had for my son preparing to go 2700 miles away to college has been replaced by an aching, heavy heart. And because it’s such a big transition for both of us, I suggested he take his dog with him – a 14-pound Jack Russell with a big personality…

Does my mother know how much I still need her, even though I am 58 years old and a grandmother to boot? Maybe. But, just in case she doesn’t, guess what my mother is getting for Mother’s Day. Perfume? Flowers? More stuff? Heck no!

When do our children become adults? And do how we as moms adjust the way we relate to these now-tall people who share our DNA? There are a lot of people who object to the term “adult children.” So what do we call them to be both…

When I was writing my book, Parents of Adult Children: You Are Not Alone, I found that the major source of discontent – on both sides of the generational divide – was the disparity between the parents’ expectations…

About five years ago, my husband approached me and asked me how I would feel about having his mother come live with us. We had only been married for about three years at that point, and she lived about 1200 miles away…