How do you have an important conversation with an emerging adult who would rather avoid you completely? And what do you do when bringing up money, work, school, mental health, or responsibility almost always ends with them shutting down or exploding?

For many parents, these conversations have becom...

Parents ask me some version of this question all the time: What is the appropriate consequence for my 20-something who isn't doing what they need to do?

Maybe they won't fill out the job application. Maybe you've been talking about going back to school for months, but the application still hasn't b...

One of the most frustrating experiences for parents is trying to have an important conversation with an emerging adult who simply won't engage.

You bring up money, and they leave the room.

You ask about work, and they go quiet.

You mention the condition of their room, and suddenly the bedroom doo...

When you're parenting an emerging adult who is struggling, you get to decide what you take away from the experience.

That doesn't mean you wanted this season. It doesn't mean you would have chosen it.

It does mean you have a choice in how this chapter shapes you.

Every day, I work with parents wh...

One of the biggest surprises parents face is that once their child turns 18, the rules of parenting begin to change.

Your son or daughter isn't fully independent yet, but they're no longer a child either. They're in that in-between stage we call emerging adulthood, trying to answer some pretty big ...

When an emerging adult moves back home, most families don't expect conflict. Parents are usually happy to help while their son or daughter finishes school, saves money, or figures out their next step. Everyone assumes things will simply work themselves out.

Unfortunately, that's often where the pro...