Dear Katie: Our Adult Child Moved Back Home

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What happens when the empty nest you’ve been waiting for… doesn’t stay empty? For many couples, life after kids means finally focusing on us again. But when an adult child moves back home—whether for health, financial, or personal reasons—the dream of freedom can feel like it slips away overnight.

In this week’s Dear Katie episode, I respond to a letter from a listener whose adult daughter is living at home permanently after a health crisis. Her question is one many couples quietly wrestle with: How do we reconnect as partners when parenting never ends?

I’ll walk you through practical ways to:

• Redefine your relationship vision for this season of life
• Find intentional time together, even in small doses
• Build gratitude and grace into daily interactions
• Hold weekly check-ins that strengthen connection
• Release guilt and get creative with support systems

If you’ve ever felt like caregiving has swallowed your relationship whole, this episode is for you. You don’t have to settle for survival mode—you can still thrive together, even in a house that’s fuller than you expected.

Relationship Game Plan Call

Free Conversation Starter Cards for Couples

Couples Goal Setting Workbook

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