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7 Simple Tips For Parenting Adult Children

5 min read
7 Simple Tips For Parenting Adult Children

When it comes down to it, parenting is far from over when your kids turn 18 or head out the door to start their own independent lives.

In some part of themselves, and in your heart, they’ll always be your babies. That being said, parenting children when they’re adults is not the same as parenting them when they’re young, so if you aren’t quite sure how to walk that line, here are some tips to help you along.

7 Simple Tips For Parenting Adult Children

1. Know Them As Adults

It can be difficult for some parents to stop seeing their children as the little ones they were, and start seeing them for the adults they have become.

bigstock 180538561 | Stay at Home Mum.com.au

However, this change-over is absolutely necessary in building a strong relationship with your kids as adults, and it should really start in their late teen years. Get to know the things they like as adults, what their views and opinions are, and how they live their lives, and don’t make comments about how much they’ve changed since they were young. Change is inevitable, and we all do it!

2. Wait Until They Ask For Advice

Unsolicited advice is the bane of existence for many adult children, and unfortunately, too much of it is likely to harm your relationship with your grown up kids.

Dad and Son | Stay at Home Mum.com.au

A little bit of advice is ok, as long as you work to frame it so it doesn’t come across as judgemental or critical, but otherwise it’s better just to wait until they come asking for your advice. To your kids, particularly in the early years of their adulthood, you’re a great source of knowledge, and if they need your help, they will ask for it.

3. Be Cautious About Money Lending

Parents love to help their kids along their path to success, and hate seeing them in tight spots, particularly financial ones. That being said, it pays to be pretty cautious when lending your children money, as it’s easy for this to become a sore point among families.

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If your children want to borrow money and you do have the means, make sure there is a clear understanding in place for repayments as well as interest if you want that to be a part of the deal. It’s also worth remembering that siblings keep track, so if you accept one sibling’s need for money, others may be hurt if you don’t also lend to them.

Next Page: More Simple Tips For Parenting Adult Children

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About Author

Oceana Setaysha

Senior Writer A passionate writer since her early school days, Oceana has graduated from writing nonsense stories to crafting engaging content for...Read Morean online audience. She enjoys the flexibility to write about topics from lifestyle, to travel, to family. Although not currently fulfilling the job of parent, her eight nieces and nephews keep her, and her reluctant partner, practiced and on their toes. Oceana holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Writing and Indonesian, and has used her interest in languages to create a career online. She's also the resident blonde at BarefootBeachBlonde.com, where she shares her, slightly dented, wisdom on photography, relationships, travel, and the quirks of a creative lifestyle. Read Less

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