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Parents of adult children

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Adult children and relationship building

2 replies

Alwayssupportingdifference · 05/01/2026 11:06

Has anybody found any good resources online, Counselling etc? I am desperate to rebuild my relationship with my adult son (18) who wants to continue living with me (option B going to his fathers but nobody wants that) He is rude and objectionable and thinks he knows everything though and I cannot continue living with him without some major intervention. I see it as abuse - of course he doesn’t see it as abuse and denies a lot of his behaviour after the fact.

Ive tried myself setting boundaries for over two years but it’s just escalated now to crisis point. I don’t want to disown him as I love him dearly but right now it’s impossible. I’m going through a divorce with his father who has been a very passive parent over the years and is also emotionally abusive to me. We all lived together until 9 months ago, so not a great surprise I find myself here with my son.

he has a girlfriend and their family support him but he can’t go there. The problems started two years ago when the girlfriend arrived on the scene, despite me being nothing but incredibly supportive.

I definitely need some professional help and happy to pay. I just could do with some guidance where to start.

he is recently (three months) medicated and having CBT for GAD and Compulsive Disorders but it doesn’t seem to be helping.

OP posts:
Octavia64 · 05/01/2026 19:10

What specifically is the problem?

all teenagers think they know everything. That isn’t abuse per se.

when you say rude what sort of rude?

SleafordSods · 10/01/2026 08:23

I really feel for you @Alwayssupportingdifference. I have a DD the same age and it can be tough. I don’t know of any resources though unfortunately.

She can be rude. Can a little change in how you respond work?

I became aware a few years ago that I tensed up whenever DD was around, still do sometimes but I’m working on that.

One thing I did was to smile everytime I saw her as though seeing her just was the best thing that could happen to me. She instantly started to relax. The tension I had been feeling had obviously been showing on my face.

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