The Dos & Don'ts of Parenting Adult Kids

Practical Ways to Keep Your Relationship Healthy and Long Lasting, Even When Challenges Arise

De: Ann Marie Sorenson

Narrado por: Nancy Higgins

No matter how old your child is, you’ll always be their parent. Discover how you can sustain your relationship even when you’re no longer under the same roof.

If you thought parenting was hard, wait till your kids grow up.

The older your kids get, the more complicated your relationship becomes.

While conflicts used to revolve around bedtime and homework when they were little, things get a little more serious when they become adults.

Now you’re fighting about their choice of partner, their parenting decisions, or their finances.

Before you could simply send them to their room or ground them, but now they can choose to just leave and not call you for months on end.

Having once had such a significant role in your child’s life, you now feel like you’re just a tiny often-forgotten part of it.

But no matter what happens, you still want to be part of your child’s life. But in order for this to happen in a peaceful and harmonious way, things need to change.

Obviously, you can’t have the same kind of relationship you once had, but you can have a much richer and more meaningful one.

This guide will show you how to navigate this new chapter of your parent-child relationship so you and your adult child can deepen your bond, resolve your issues, and heal from past wounds.

Inside, you will discover:

• How your role as a parent will change now that your child is an adult–and how this could be good for your relationship.
• How your “help” might be harming your child–and how to actually be of real help to them.

Why you need to let go of your adult kid and why it can be so hard to do–plus 10 ways to stop clinging to your baby and let your fully grown adult kid fly.

• Why boundaries are even more important when dealing with adult children, and how to maintain them in tricky situations.
• How to bridge the generation gap and find the positives in your differences.
• How to shift from a parent-child dynamic to one of mentorship and friendship.
• The three-step system to repairing an estranged relationship with your adult child, and four things you should never do when reaching out to them.

And much more.

When you’ve been in a position of authority for so long, it can be hard to give that up.

But it’s important to remember that they’ve grown into their own person now, and that’s what you’ve worked so hard for their whole lives.

You and your child aren’t getting any younger. Don’t waste any more time stuck in a power struggle, in a fight, or at an impasse.

Grow, evolve, and welcome the shift in your dynamic. This stage of your relationship will be the best one yet!

©2023 Ann Marie Sorenson (P)2023 Ann Marie Sorenson

Highly recommend this audible!

This audible is so needed in this time. I am right on the cusp of moving my oldest into adulthood and it has been really hard to figure out the next steps. This book made me feel like I was on the right track in certain aspects and really encouraged me to go deeper into some of our actions as a parent to my 18 year old. Everything in this audible met me where I am. It was helpful and encouraging and made me look at myself too. I loved the scripture woven through, as I am a believer! I found this very helpful in the next stage of my life. Thank you!

well researched

This book provides practical and well-researched advice on maintaining a healthy and enduring relationship with adult offspring, even in the face of challenges. The author skillfully addresses common pitfalls and provides actionable tips for fostering understanding and communication. The real-life examples are so relatable, ensuring that each listener can easily apply the principles to their own situations. Overall, this audiobook is an indispensable guide for parents looking to strengthen their connections with their adult children and build lasting, fulfilling relationships.

Great ways to work with your children that become adults, loved this book so much

This was probably one of the best books that I have read in a long time. I have a child that is now a young adult and everything in the book she mentioned and talked about and provided strategies to help me as a parent work with her anyone who haskids should read this book. No matter at what stage they are in they should eventually read this book. It’s very very good.

Navigating Relationships with Grown Kids

Ann Marie Sorenson's "The Dos & Don'ts of Parenting Adult Kids" is an essential guide for any modern parent looking to navigate the complexities of raising grown children. Sorenson's writing is insightful and practical, offering expert advice on how to build strong relationships with adult children while still maintaining boundaries. Her tips on communication, conflict resolution, and supporting adult children through life's challenges are invaluable. This audiobook is a must-listen for any parent looking to build healthy and fulfilling relationships with their adult children.

Great listen for all parents

This book does a fantastic job of guiding parents through this challenging aspect of child-rearing. There are many suggestions and ideas, but the one about letting go is my favorite. Parenting aims to protect and keep them safe while they are young and developing, but eventually, let go so they can make their own mistakes and live their own lives. This does not mean that you should cling to them until the day you die.
Being a parent is hard, especially when the kids are small. Even though it's simpler in some ways while they're little because you already know what to do—be present as much as you can and take care of them. It might be challenging to give them room and independence as they get older and more independent since they are still delicate beings, and you don't want anything to happen to them.

Practical advice and easy to follow

Lately we have been having some struggles with our son, and this audible was brilliant at giving us some confidence, strategies, and everything else in between we need to make the situation healthier for all the family. Chapter six is a must-listen chapter, which is full of valuable information for any parents going through similar challenges like us. We feel happier and healthier in our relationship with our son after listening to this audible - Highly recommended.

Excellent Book Very Educational

For parents who struggle as their children mature and seek their own freedom, this manual will be incredibly useful for you. I appreciate the idea that children should be allowed to mature and make mistakes without worrying about their parents' disapproval. The book contains a lot of useful advice, including the significance of communication and, in particular, the value of being a good listener and accepting of other viewpoints. It also explains why we should exercise caution when bailing out adult children on a regular basis since doing so will hinder them from being able to accept responsibility for their acts and would stunt their development.

An important resource for every parent

I believe that parents should prepare for their children's adulthood well in advance. I wish I listened to this book a few years earlier. I struggled in my relationship with my son when he grew up and I made so many mistakes. Thank God I did not damage our relationship but I could have. This book provides a lot of wisdom for us, parents, who keep treating our adult kids like they are still 10-year-olds. The author did a great job of providing a lot of background, personal experience, and strategies for parenting adult kids. It will help you welcome this new phase of parenting instead of being sad about the "easy happy times" with your little ones that are now gone and it's so difficult to understand your adult kids. This new phase can be the happiest ever.

Must for any parent having a hard time letting go

Raising children is not easy, it’s actually tough especially when young. Though in some respects it’s easy when they are young, because you know exactly what to do, be there as much as possible and take care of them. However, as they grow older and become more independent, it’s time to give them space and independence which can be difficult as they are still fragile creatures and you don’t want anything to happen to them.

This book does an amazing job of helping parents weave this challenging part of raising children. There are a lot of ideas and tips the one I like the most is about letting go. The goal of parenting is not to necessarily protect and hold on to them until the day they die, but to protect and keep them save when they are young and growing, but eventually let go so they can make their own mistakes and live their own lives.

Lots of good advice

Ann Marie really knows what she is talking about when it comes to being a parent of an adult kid. I found the book to be easy to follow along and it gives really great practical advice on keeping or developing a strong bond with your adult child and how to continue with that bond throughout the rest of their life. It highlighted things to do and things not do and how to navigate those waters and let them go to be their own person.