RULE 101
Treat them as adults
If you want an adult relationship with your adult kids, you’ll need to treat them like adults. Yes, I know that sounds obvious, but actually it can be quite difficult. You’ve had so many years of giving them instructions, unsolicited advice, opinions, discipline and so on, that it’s become your natural mode of interaction. It can be pretty hard to remember to bite your tongue until you get the hang of it.
Of course, the younger you started easing off when they were teenagers, the easier it will be now. But even so it’s quite a transition to accomplish. No one’s expecting you to get it right all at once. The important thing is to know where you want to get to, and not to ease up until you’re there. Train yourself ...
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