Anita Ojeda 
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Parents of adults have a unique opportunity to mentor and befriend their adult children. But first, we need to learn how to take care of ourselves.
This Advice for Parents of Adults Might Surprise You
Ten years after our daughters left the nest, I lost my equilibrium. I adore our daughters, successful adults who own their own homes, have jobs they love, and enjoy good relationships with us and each other. What more could a parent ask of their adult child?
I couldn’t understand why I felt a deep sadness so often. While I rejoiced because our adult kids felt comfortable enough to confess secrets from their childhood to me, their confessions rocked me in ways I never expected. I ended up going to a therapist for the first time ever (something I probably should have done years ago).
Instead of wallowing in my sadness and letting it affect all of my key relationships, I sought help. My wise counselor told me I shouldn’t let satan steal my joy over parenting mistakes I made in the past. At the end of four months, I knew I could move on. And Mary DeMuth’s book Love, Pray, Listen provided the perfect companion for graduating from counselor to coping on my own.
In today’s podcast, you’ll learn 11 ways we need to take care of ourselves when we become parents of adults. Mary, a mother of three successful adult children, shares what she’s learned on her journey. You won’t want to miss this interview!
Show Notes
If you like to underline and write notes in the margin, you’ll want a copy of Mary’s book Love, Pray, Listen!
If you struggle with letting go of your recently-fledged adult children, this post might help.
Come Back Next Week
Next week I’ll share six relationship hacks I learned from sea otters. Yep. You read that right!
Join me for an interview with @MaryDeMuth, author of #LovePrayListen, a book with on-point advice for parents of adults. #amreading #selfcare Click To Tweet- Welcome to the Inspire Me Monday Community! The link-up opens Sundays at 4 pm, Arizona time.
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It’s definitely a different set of skills needed to parent our adult children versus our children when they’re small. I always say it’s more taxing on the body when they’re little because you miss sleep, have to keep up with them, etc., but it’s more taxing on the soul when they’re grown because there is so much more at stake when they make life decisions. Mary’s book sounds good!
Lisa notes recently posted…Share Four Somethings—August 2022 —Grace & Truth Linkup
Ditto Lisa’s comment.
Lisa Blair recently posted…D Personality – How to Understand Ourselves and Others Pt 1
Yes, parenting is the hardest vocation on Earth Anita for each child is unique & we are flawed! I’m glad we have the Lord to help us in the journey of parenting & grandparenting!
Mary’s book sounds like a good read.
Bless you,
Jennifer
Tea With Jennifer recently posted…What happens when Trust is Broken?
I’m not a parent but having taught and worked with teenagers for years, I have so much more respect for parents. I hope a lot more parents get to read Mary’s book.
Corinne Rodrigues recently posted…Words That Inspired Me In July 2022
Oh goodness, I am not ready for parenting adult children! But mine are quickly approaching teenage years which I know are followed even more quickly by adulthood. Thank you for sharing these experiences! I really admire your choice to seek therapy to find coping methods. I am fortunate that my therapist also specializes in child psychology so she is always able to offer me insight and different perspectives into my kids. And then my kids see the therapist in the office two doors away from mine! It’s a big ole family affair and it really does take a village to raise a child. I am so thankful for my village!
Shelbee
I love that this is for adult children. Rarely do I see advice for relationships between parents and children once the children are grown. I don’t have children of my own, but I am close to my mom. Our relationship has grown into friendship in my adult years, but your story of confession opened my eyes to how anything negative from my childhood could make her feel negligent, which she wasn’t by any stretch of the imagination.
We are in the launching process, having just dropped one son off at college recently, and limping through the other’s senior year. I will need to listen to this podcast. I definitely need the book. Thanks for sharing, Anita!