Family estrangement, particularly from an adult child, can leave parents feeling helpless and heartbroken.

The question of whether to keep reaching out is complex and multifaceted, involving a deep understanding of the emotional dynamics at play and the long-term impact on both parties.

Let's respect the intricacies of this issue, exploring expert advice and research findings to guide parents through this challenging situation.

We tell women they should expect to feel grief and sadness when their children have fled the nest.

We even have a label for this cultural expectation, Empty Nest Syndrome.

But is it, like the unmitigated joy of childbirth, a cultural lie we insist on telling ourselves?

According to thought leader Warren Farrell, dads help their children develop greater impulse control, consequential memory, and an enhanced ability to respond to novel or ambiguous interactions.

A commission of government experts was so impressed by recent research on dads they used it to formulate policy initiatives.

Here’s what we know about why dads are essential…

As a marriage and family therapist, I am often asked to discuss the latest research on parenting and the impact of parental behavior on children.

New research shows that lying to children can have unintended consequences, leading to increased dishonest behavior from the children themselves.

Recent research has shed light on the detrimental effects of binge drinking on brain health, particularly in young people.

Binge drinking, defined in the US as consuming four or more standard alcoholic drinks for women or five or more for men in two hours, has been linked to significant brain damage, including thinning in areas crucial for memory, language, awareness, consciousness, and attention.

Once a marriage dissolves, so too does the family… forever. Research tells us that children only tend to benefit from divorce only in those situations where there is extreme abuse.

It is estimated that only one-third of the divorces in our country fit this criteria.

In all other cases, children lose out on many different dimensions when their parents split.

Ever wondered if there's a secret formula to raising smarter kids? Well, it turns out the answer might be simpler than you think.

Research shows that children raised by nurturing parents develop higher IQs. And we're not talking about a small boost—these kids score an average of 6 points higher on IQ tests!

Research finds that inadequate sleep in childhood significantly increases the risk of developing emotional disorders later in life.

The impact of poor sleep on emotional well-being is profound, altering both negative and positive emotional experiences.

For instance, after just two nights of poor sleep, children cannot derive the same pleasure from positive experiences, and they struggle to recall these positive experiences later on.

Infidelity impacts your legacy and echoes through time. New research tells us that a tendency toward infidelity runs in families.

When children of Infidelity are aware of parental infidelity, they are much more likely to engage in infidelity as well.

Kids may not seem to hear you when you tell them to eat their vegetables, but when you and your spouse are fighting in front of the kids, your children are paying close attention.

This behavior impacts their immediate behavior and affects their mental health significantly.

Have you ever wondered why you're the way you are?

A recent study suggests we might share more personality traits with our parents than we previously thought, but it might matter far less than you can imagine…

I have worked with clients who wore the mantle of a “supermom” as a family badge of honor.

While others complain about flowing like a river to the point of exhaustion.

This leaves them unable to harbor even the fleeting shadow of a selfish thought.

If you’re a woman who does too much, a supermom, does this also translate into “over-achieving” in managing your mental health?