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3 Reasons Parents Tolerate Emotional Abuse By Adult Children

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08.03.2026

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Many parents worry that if they push back, their adult child will cut them off—permanently.

Compassion does not mean wearing that "Kick Me" sign.

Your adult child owes it to themselves to treat you fairly and with respect.

When an adult child lashes out with blame, contempt, or manipulation, many parents (and often siblings of the offending adult child) find themselves stunned by just how much abuse they tolerate. In my coaching with parents and adult children, I often see seemingly kind, loving, and thoughtful parents quietly enduring emotional upheaval from grown kids. No parent is perfect, but the ones that reach out to me for coaching clearly value growth, healing, and quality connection with their adult children.

When Parents Overthink, They Wear a Kick Me! Sign

When parents overthink, they get into maddening mental loops, replaying conversations, second-guessing themselves, and trying to come up with the "perfect response" in a frantic effort to restore a sense of peace.

Here are three reasons........

© Psychology Today