Exploring Parenting Challenges by Age: Adults

Parenting challenges don’t stop just because your child has become an adult. Below are some of the most common challenges that parents face once their child reaches adulthood (ages 22+):

• Differences in opinion – Even though your child is now an adult, they’ll always be your baby, and you may feel like you should continue sharing your opinion about all aspects of their life. Unfortunately, when parents continually criticize their child’s decisions regarding jobs, partners, children, and hobbies, it can lead to tension and sometimes even estrangement. Certain issues should still be addressed—for example, abuse and addiction—but otherwise, you may want to consider keeping your opinions to yourself and supporting their choices.
• Childcare expectations – Many children assume that once they have their own kids, their parents will take on all of the babysitting responsibilities. If you’re on board with that, great! But if you don’t want to commit to regular childcare, kindly communicate that ahead of time to avoid resentment and scheduling conflicts later on.
• Maintaining connection – This is a challenge commonly faced by parents whose children have moved to another city or state, or even to another country. If regular trips aren’t feasible, try to look for other ways to connect with your kids and grandkids. For instance, rather than simply talking on the phone, try videochatting. And if your grandkids have a hard time focusing on the call, you can incorporate a game like Pictionary or charades.

Customized Parenting Tips for Your Adult Child

Effectively parenting an adult child can be difficult, to say the least, but you’re not alone. If you’d like to speak with a therapist about the challenges you’re facing and receive personalized parenting tips, contact us today. We’ll gladly schedule a therapy session at a date and time that fits into your schedule.