Why So Many Adult Children Cut Off Their Parents (And How to Prevent It) with Catherine Hickem

Nearly one in four adult children are estranged from at least one parent—a trend that’s becoming increasingly common, yet rarely discussed.In this episode of Coparenting Beyond Conflict, Sol sits down with parenting expert Catherine Hickem, founder of Parenting Adult Children Today and author of It’s Never Too Late to Be a Great Parent. Together they explore why parent-child relationships break down in adulthood, how divorce impacts family relationships across generations, and what parents can do now to build lasting trust with their children.Whether you’re raising young children, navigating a divorce, or supporting an adult child through one, this conversation offers practical guidance for creating stronger family relationships that endure through life’s biggest transitions.Learn more about Catherine Hickem: https://www.parentingadultchildrentoday.com/Get Catherine's book, It’s Never Too Late to Be a Great Parent: https://www.amazon.com/Its-Never-Late-Great-Parent/dp/197179502XGet the BestInterest Coparenting App: https://bestinterest.app/Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/H8pqZswdibESubscribe to our newsletter to hear about new episodes and build community: https://bestinterest.app/subscribe-podcast/Keywordsadult child estrangement, parent-child relationships, parenting adult children, divorce and adult children, family estrangement, co-parenting, high-conflict divorce, grandparents and divorce, family communication, healthy boundaries, unconditional love, relationship repair, emotional safety, parenting after divorce, family healingKey TakeawaysWhy adult-child estrangement is becoming so commonThe parenting mistakes that unintentionally push adult children awayHow divorce affects relationships across multiple generationsWhat adult children really need from their parents during a divorceHow grandparents can provide support without making conflict worseWhy honesty, curiosity, and respect matter more than taking sidesThe “Four Pillars” of healthy relationships with adult childrenHow unconditional love creates lifelong trustChapter Highlights00:00 Introduction01:40 The growing epidemic of parent-child estrangement04:10 The most common reasons adult children cut off parents08:20 Catherine’s own divorce and what it taught her about parenting11:55 What adult children need from their parents during divorce14:55 How grandparents can best support a child going through divorce19:20 When your adult child asks you to cut off their ex25:05 The transition from parenting children to parenting adults25:30 The Four Pillars of healthy relationships with adult children31:55 How parents can become a safe harbor instead of a source of judgment33:40 Where to learn more from Catherine HickemM5gKdwIx3CKTZIqTibkiWhat if your co-parent’s toxic messages never even reached you? Thousands of parents are already finding peace with the BestInterest Coparenting App. As a listener, you can too. Claim 40% off an annual subscription here: https://bestinterest.app/beyond