Adult Children

A recent visit to my daughter’s home and the celebration of Mother’s Day struck a nerve in me. I felt sad (as I have at times before) and wished I had been a better mom to my two daughters. Especially now, as I observe my first-born parenting…

Family estrangement for women in their 60s is more common than you think. More than 70 million people in the United States report experiencing estrangement from family members. For some, estrangement is a choice due to self-preservation…

Estrangement is a depressing affair. Chronic stress, grief, uncertainty, and negative thoughts are involved in this widespread condition. 27 percent of estranged individuals, emotionally or physically separated from one or more family members…

Remember when you first held your newborn? The love that flooded your heart in that incredibly intense moment is wordless to describe. It washes over you and fills your whole being. That love sustains me as a parent. Love is the guide…

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…

By the time we reach our 60s, we reflect on what we once hoped for with our family. I hear from women that they would grow older harmoniously with their families. It is encouraging and a blessing when this is the case. But many struggle under the shroud of secrecy…

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…

I have three wonderful moms in my immediate circle of friends who have been ghosted by their children. Dictionary.com defines ghosting as “the practice of suddenly ending all contact with a person without explanation.” The extreme…

Family estrangement for women in their 60s is more common than you think. About 70 million people in the United States report experiencing estrangement from one or more family members. For some, estrangement is a choice due to self-preservation…

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…