Having toxic adult children can cause quite a headache. It’s like dealing with teens, except they aren’t sixteen anymore.
Many problems come with having children who show toxic behavior, so parents must stop the issue quickly. In this article, we’ll give parents a guide on identifying these children and fixing the situation.
Why do Adult Children Develop Toxic Behavior?
Some adult children just forget their parents and move on with their lives as they grow. Studies have shown that about 26% of adult children have lost contact with their father, and about 6% have lost contact with their mother.
And this has also continued in the digital era, even though adult children can contact their parents with tech devices. On the other hand, some adult children can’t let go of their parents, which may also lead to toxic behavior.
Identifying Toxic Adult Children
Spotting toxic behavior in your adult children can be quite easy since it’s direct and obvious. So, in the following paragraphs, we’ll discuss the signs and indicators of this problem.
· Arguements and Accusations
Adult children who display toxic behavior may start blaming you for their mistakes and failures. They’ll engage in arguments with you and often accuse you of doing something bad to them.
Dealing with that type of behavior can be tough, especially because the harsh words come from the mouth of your own child.
· Blackmail
Your adult children might start blackmailing you to get something from you. That can cause much emotional damage since the one blackmailing you is your own son or daughter.
The process can start with simple things such as blackmailing you into cooking them food and can end with you losing contact with your children.
· Taking Control Over Your Life
Toxic adult children might try to interfere with the decisions you make in your life. For example, you want to buy yourself a new dress, bag, or any other accessory you wish for.
But your adult child doesn’t let you buy yourself something new because they think you should give that money to them.
And, since you are a parent, you’ll still listen to your child and give in to the manipulation. That can later become a bigger problem because your adult child will become too independent of you.
· Loss of Connection
Toxic adult children will try to cut off any connection with you, especially if they don’t see any personal benefit in you.
They might stop visiting, calling, messaging you, and such. They won’t even invite you to visit your grandchildren.
That estranged connection between you and your children may lead to sadness and depression.
How to Deal With Toxic Adult Children
Dealing with adult children who have developed toxic behavior towards you can be hard. So, in the following paragraphs, we’ll teach you how to deal with them.
· Communication and Conversation
You can always try talking to your adult children. After all, they’re responsible enough to conversate about such topics.
Be honest, and tell your adult child how you feel about their behavior. That can make them think about their actions and hopefully change.
· Drawing the Bottom Line
If conversations don’t work, you must draw the bottom line and stop letting your adult child manipulate and hurt you.
Cutting off your adult children that way can be hard to process, but you must protect yourself.
But that doesn’t mean you should give up. Call your adult children once in a while, and maybe they’ll come to their senses.
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