Books Doing Life with Your Adult Children: Keep Your Mouth Shut and the Welcome Mat Out by Jim Burns Ph.D (Author)

"Doing Life with Your Adult Children: Keep Your Mouth Shut and the Welcome Mat Out" by Jim Burns, Ph.D., offers practical guidance and encouragement for parents navigating the complex and evolving relationship with their grown children. Burns addresses the challenges parents face as their children reach adulthood, whether those children live independently, move back home, or choose different paths than their parents expected.

Key themes include:

Transitioning from a controlling parenting role to one of mentorship and coaching.

Establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries, especially around finances and living arrangements.

Differentiating between helping and enabling adult children.

Managing communication to avoid unsolicited advice, focusing instead on listening and support.

Navigating situations where adult children make choices or adopt values that differ from those of the parents.

Offering positive principles for family faith, grandparenting, and leaving a legacy.

Recognizing the "messy middle" phase where parents balance their moral guidance with unconditional love and acceptance.