This is the big one.

Parents struggle with:

• Financial support that never seems to end

• Rescuing adult kids from consequences

• Feeling guilty setting limits

• Confusing love with fixing

Enabling often comes from fear: “If I don’t help, something bad will happen.”

Adult kids are adults… but the roles don’t always update.

Common challenges:

• Adult children relying on parents for emotional regulation

• Parents over-involved in decisions, relationships, or parenting styles

• Difficulty saying no without feeling cruel

Healthy boundaries feel uncomfortable at first—especially in families used to over-functioning.

Conversations either:

• Turn into arguments

• Get avoided completely

• End with hurt feelings or shutdown

Parents often feel unheard or disrespected, while adult children feel judged or controlled—even when that’s not the intention.

This can include:

• Career paths

• Relationships or partners

• Parenting styles

• Lifestyle, finances, or responsibility levels

Parents struggle to accept choices they wouldn’t make—especially when those choices seem self-destructive.

Many parents quietly carry:

• Fear their child won’t be okay

• Guilt about past parenting mistakes

• A sense of responsibility they can’t release

This emotional weight often fuels enabling and keeps unhealthy patterns in place.