Your relationships Tough love for adult children Posted on September 29 From the time our children go to kindergarten, we begin the process of letting go as we surrender them to the influence of others. We let go of them a little more as each year passes. When they leave home it’s a big step and it takes both parents and… Read more
Your relationships How to help elderly parents – give them respect Posted on August 17 Almost exactly nine months after the end of World War 11, more babies were born than ever before. This was the beginning of a ‘baby boom’ and the title of ‘baby boomers’ is given to all those born between 1946 and 1964. These ‘baby boomers’ are now 52 to 70… Read more
Empty Nest Don’t judge empty nesters who feel sad! Posted on August 10 The word ‘whine’ immediately evokes images of a child complaining in an annoying way. Nobody wants to listen to people who whine and complain about their circumstances, no matter how dire. However, I recently came across a blog with the title ‘Stop whining about your empty nest’ in the Huffington… Read more
Empty Nest Empty nest families in India Posted on August 5 Does empty nesting only apply in Western cultures? This question is asked because in many other cultures it is common for adult children to continue living with parents and grandparents. Some research being done in India is very interesting because it shows that parents are going through similar empty nest… Read more
Your relationships How to move forward after divorce Posted on June 29July 21 When you lose a loved one, you expect to experience grief and those around you expect it too and offer comfort. However, many people do not realize that you also go through grief after a divorce. Even if you are the one who wanted the divorce, this does not mean… Read more
Empty Nest Love: letting go, fear and freedom Posted on May 11March 22 Many of us know the Khalil Gibran quote “If you love somebody, let them go ….”. We don’t usually think of applying it to letting go of our children as they begin to mature. It is perfectly natural for us to experience some fears and worries when the time comes… Read more
How an empty nest and divorce has changed my life Posted on March 17April 20 If anyone had told me I would be facing an empty nest and divorce together one day, I would not have believed them. The idea of divorce was never on my radar – I may have made threats once or twice over the years but that’s all they were – … Read more
Your relationships Do you have unhealthy mother-son relationships? Posted on March 8July 17 The relationship between a mother and son is a complex one. While a son is growing up and learning independence, a mother’s loving support and nurturing is essential. However, there are circumstances in which the mother-son relationship becomes distorted and when this happens it can leave destruction in its path…. Read more
Think before you make that call Posted on March 3March 18 These five tips can help you to keep the right kind of contact with adult children who have recently flown the nest. When your adult child leaves home, both you and your child go through a period of weaning. All you want to do is to keep in close contact… Read more
Parenting adult children, hatchlings and vulnerability Posted on February 18September 2 A rare green albino turtle was recently found on the Sunshine Coast in Australia. Volunteers thought the nest was empty but when they examined it, they were surprised to find a tiny white hatchling. Members of a local environmental volunteer group had already counted 122 broken eggs, so its siblings… Read more
Saying goodbye never gets easier Posted on February 2February 22 After a weekend of sewing curtains, packing and washing clothing, my daughter finally left for university once again after a three month holiday. An entourage of three cars set off, loaded with her possessions. I have repeated this process for the past three years while she studied for her degree… Read more
My precious daughter is home for a season Posted on January 19March 18 My empty nest has been full for the holidays. As I sit down to write this, my daughter will soon be returning to university to do her honours in Psychology. She completed her degree at the end of last year, moved out of her flat and came home for a… Read more
Parenting Style Quiz: parenting 20-something kids Posted on November 3March 18 Parenting adult children is just as important as parenting little ones but it is very different. During the phase when they first move away from home, children begin to mature and start finding out how they want to live their own lives as adults. Many of us make the mistake… Read more