When Your Adult Child Criticizes You — Here's What to Do (and Stop Doing)

When your adult child criticizes you, it can trigger an immediate urge to defend yourself, explain your intentions, or prove your side of the story. But what if that reaction is actually keeping you stuck? In this episode, I'm sharing exactly how to stop defending yourself when your adult child criticizes you—and what to do instead so you can finally feel calm, clear, and in control. If you've ever thought, "I know it's not about me… so why do I still react this way?" — you're not alone. Knowing something logically and responding differently in the moment are two completely different things. Inside this episode, you'll learn: Why defending yourself (JADE: justify, argue, defend, explain) makes conflict worse How to stop absorbing your adult child's criticism and emotional reactions A simple mindset shift to help you stay grounded in difficult conversations What to say instead when your adult child is upset or critical How to stop replaying conversations and protect your peace afterward This is especially for moms navigating: estranged adult children difficult or disrespectful adult children emotional triggers in parent-child relationships ongoing conflict or communication breakdown 💛 RISE Retreat (Limited Spots Available) If you're ready to move from reacting to responding—and actually practice these tools in real life—I invite you to join me at the RISE Retreat. This is a powerful in-person experience where you'll learn how to: respond instead of react release what isn't yours to carry build emotional strength and clarity connect with other moms who truly understand ➡️ Florida Retreat (April) – Less than 15 spots remaining ➡️ Utah Retreat (June) – Now open Register here - https://www.sally-harris.com/RiseRetreat-2026 READY TO TAKE YOUR FIRST STEP? Book a Heart to Heart Consultation.👇 Heart to Heart link: https://calendly.com/sallyharris-discoverycall/30min   BE A CALLER ON THE SALLY HARRIS SHOW email: [email protected]    EMPOWER MOM QUIZ: www.sally-harris.com/EmpowerMom    CONNECT WITH SALLY HARRIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/sallyharriscoach/ FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/coachsallyharris WEBSITE | https://www.sally-harris.com