Joshua Coleman

And in fact, it can be. I mean, there are genuinely hurtful, destructive family members. So I'm not here to say one should never do that. But I do think people in general are too quick to do it. And I also don't think that younger generations are as empathic as I wish they were about, A, how hard it is to be a parent. The parenting is often a fog of war.

or B, how the absolute immiseration they're causing when they cut a parent out of their lives.

or B, how the absolute immiseration they're causing when they cut a parent out of their lives.

or B, how the absolute immiseration they're causing when they cut a parent out of their lives.

You know, parents in my practice are suicidal. They're miserable, particularly those who've been cut off from grandchildren. Many of these parents were loving, involved grandparents. And they're not being cut off because of their being bad grandparents. They're being cut off because of conflict between the parent and the adult child.

You know, parents in my practice are suicidal. They're miserable, particularly those who've been cut off from grandchildren. Many of these parents were loving, involved grandparents. And they're not being cut off because of their being bad grandparents. They're being cut off because of conflict between the parent and the adult child.

You know, parents in my practice are suicidal. They're miserable, particularly those who've been cut off from grandchildren. Many of these parents were loving, involved grandparents. And they're not being cut off because of their being bad grandparents. They're being cut off because of conflict between the parent and the adult child.

We heard from Emmy earlier in the show that had it not been for texting and email, she probably would still have a relationship with her mother. It was the sort of, you know, over communication that she felt she had with her mother that made her relationship with her mother over. unsustainable. Do you see that a lot in your practice, in your research?

We heard from Emmy earlier in the show that had it not been for texting and email, she probably would still have a relationship with her mother. It was the sort of, you know, over communication that she felt she had with her mother that made her relationship with her mother over. unsustainable. Do you see that a lot in your practice, in your research?

We heard from Emmy earlier in the show that had it not been for texting and email, she probably would still have a relationship with her mother. It was the sort of, you know, over communication that she felt she had with her mother that made her relationship with her mother over. unsustainable. Do you see that a lot in your practice, in your research?

I really do. And I'm glad that Emmy raised that because I do think that, well, I think there's been several factors. One of the changes that we've had in the past four decades or so is parents have become much more anxious, much more involved. The studies by economists show that in countries with high social inequality, like the United States or China or

I really do. And I'm glad that Emmy raised that because I do think that, well, I think there's been several factors. One of the changes that we've had in the past four decades or so is parents have become much more anxious, much more involved. The studies by economists show that in countries with high social inequality, like the United States or China or

I really do. And I'm glad that Emmy raised that because I do think that, well, I think there's been several factors. One of the changes that we've had in the past four decades or so is parents have become much more anxious, much more involved. The studies by economists show that in countries with high social inequality, like the United States or China or

Parents do have to become much more involved, much more tiger mothers or helicopter parents, because it's the only way to guarantee or at least increase the probability that their child is going to have a safe landing into adulthood.

Parents do have to become much more involved, much more tiger mothers or helicopter parents, because it's the only way to guarantee or at least increase the probability that their child is going to have a safe landing into adulthood.

Parents do have to become much more involved, much more tiger mothers or helicopter parents, because it's the only way to guarantee or at least increase the probability that their child is going to have a safe landing into adulthood.

In other countries with low social inequality, say, for example, Japan or the Scandinavian countries, parents can feel more secure that their children are, you know, without enormous parental investments, still going to do okay in life. And so parents have been much more intensive and much more involved. So parents have become much more enmeshed.

In other countries with low social inequality, say, for example, Japan or the Scandinavian countries, parents can feel more secure that their children are, you know, without enormous parental investments, still going to do okay in life. And so parents have been much more intensive and much more involved. So parents have become much more enmeshed.

In other countries with low social inequality, say, for example, Japan or the Scandinavian countries, parents can feel more secure that their children are, you know, without enormous parental investments, still going to do okay in life. And so parents have been much more intensive and much more involved. So parents have become much more enmeshed.

But then you add cell phones onto that, where parents can track their kids when they're young, they can know where they are. And then once the kids leave home, they can reach them at any time of day from any part of the world. And so many adult children, the phrase that I see in every single letter from every single estranged adult child is, you need to respect my boundaries.