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Parenting Adult Children Today

254 members • Free

6 contributions to Parenting Adult Children Today
I just struck gold
I am so proud of myself. I have been stewing over how I'm actually going to talk with my daughter and how I'm going to be loving and welcoming with her so that we have a good conversation. (I was thinking I'd need some specific phrases etc. And today she called me on the phone! I have also been scouring the modules looking for help. And I found it in Nurture 6.1= FIXING FOCUSES ON THE PROBLEMS; ENCOURAGEMENT FOCUSES ON STRENGTHS! When I read that, I KNEW that I knew how to do that even with her!. What a breakthrough for me! So, my daughter was telling me that her husband does the laundry for them. "What a man!" I told her that he doesn't have to be macho. She told me more things and in response, I came up with a positive comment about every single thing she brought up. And we both we laughing and talking about the past and the future. She had told me early on in the conversation that she had only about 2 minutes to talk with me. But then SHE kept talking for the next 40 minutes. What a find the above phrase is. If this is the only thing I remember forever about this class, it will be well worth it! I've just struck gold!!! Thank you Catherine!
2 likes • 5d
@Theresa Osborne My son just lost his job after 20 years. At 56 this is not easy and everything is so expensive these days. I have tried to be supportive and let him know that I am here for him and the family. I can’t fix it but he will I know!
🎉 Everyone help me welcome Alice!
@Alice Toppen we’re so glad you’re here inside Thrive & Connect 💛You’ve stepped into a space designed for real support, honest conversations, and meaningful growth—and you’re in the right place. Whatever brought you here, just know you don’t have to navigate it alone 🤝 Inside this community, you’ll find: ✨ People who truly understand ✨ Guidance when things feel uncertain ✨ Practical tools you can actually use in real life Let’s get you plugged in 👇 Alice, when you’re ready, we’d love to hear: • Where are you joining us from? • What brought you here? • What’s one thing you’d love support with right now? And if you’re open to sharing…👉 What would a “win” look like for you in the next 30 days? We’re excited to have you here, Alice—welcome to the community 💫
0 likes • 6d
@Marshall Gordon Thanks Marshall, It is lots of work but I know it will be worth the journey.
1 like • 6d
@Alice Farina I tell people like in Wonderland (and I am also tall) so people usually remember me. I don’t get away with much!!!!Teased a lot!
Response to Catherine’s talk 5/5
Cannot find the answer to my question ! Not techy and I am lost!!! Please help
0 likes • 7d
@Lilian Shehayeb I stated reading an answer on my watch and then lost it and cannot find it on my phone. It was after Catherine’s talk today at 12
0 likes • 7d
Started reading
Q for Tracy re today’s class
@Tracey Robison would you please reiterate the alternative response to “I did my best” you shared in the class. In addition to it being very triggering due to issues within my FOO (family of origin), my ACs have responded that it feels like excuse making and an unwillingness to take responsibility (dismissive) re the impact of my behaviors, and I cannot disagree with them. Thank you.
1 like • 7d
My dad always told me he only expected me to do my best. I was not sure exactly what that was but I think I internalized it as be perfect.( he never said or implied that) To this day I compare myself internally. to others in every setting. It is hard to be accepting of myself even when I am praised by friends.
A few weeks' worth of breakthroughs
4/23/2026 Hello. My husband and I have been in this course since early March. This is bound to be long because I’ve been planning to write this post for quite some time, and now I have more to report. OK—here goes, and, believe me, this is mighty uncomfortable. I have had four or five major breakthroughs in the past few weeks. Catherine’s questions bring me back to years—decades--of therapy, group counseling, neurolinguistic work, positive psychology training, intuition training, Reiki healing, and everything else I’ve done. I have examined past trauma, starting in childhood, and including generational trauma, as well as communication and behavior patterns I’ve developed throughout the years (including early marriage and divorce—this is my 2nd marriage), and relationships with both healthy and unhealthy people. What I should do is go back and review notes and journals. I’m remembering snippets from past years when my oldest daughter said, “The closer you want to be, the farther away we’ll go” (or something to that effect), “You are too clingy and needy,” “you don’t respect boundaries,” “I’m very private and you tell people my business.” There is more: “When I was 11, you did this/you said that. . . .” I rarely understood any of that. Of course, I got defensive and then “took it personally,” and that’s what she got stuck on: “You take everything personally.” (And how else would I take it?) I’d even say, “OK, I was a bad mother. So sorry.” (And then cry.) (This came from one daughter—not the other—our oldest, who is now 41.) I just thought it was an odd reaction to my expressing interest in her life and wanting to share. I could never hear this as anything but her pushing me away and criticizing. I felt she was mean and cruel. She has never apologized to me once in her life. (Catherine enlightened me by saying that people who are “perfectionists” cannot apologize. I understand that now, and she IS a perfectionist. Also, I only now understand parts of her life in the past 6-8 years, living with an alcoholic, dysfunctional husband and father of her son/our grandson; he could not hold a job, she brought in the money by working full-time AND operating her own business, driving long distances for work, working nonstop in a very demanding job (with mentally ill criminals), not sleeping. Our grandson would call us at midnight, sobbing and scared. . . . I see now that she was in survival mode. We didn’t even know about the alcoholism—she didn’t tell us—we just knew he was impossible and miserable to us—until shortly before he died last year.
1 like • 18d
I have not started yet and am a little scared but am willing to to take the leap with the hope of having an improved relationship with my adult children. I do not want to repeat the relationship(although it was wonderful and loving) my parents had with me.
0 likes • 15d
@Wendy Andberg sounds good but I do not know where to find things. I am not techy and am lost!
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Alice Toppen
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@alice-toppen-7481
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Active 18h ago
Joined Apr 23, 2026
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