Product Description

Is there life with your kids once you've raised them? In this groundbreaking book, a best-selling author and psychologist (and the mother of grown children, too) shows you how to keep your family together for a lifetime. Dr. Spock didn't tell you about Postparenthood, but Jane Adams does;in this wise, warm, witty, commonsense guide to creating a close, loving relationship with your grown children.

You raised your kids to be independent, strong, and think for themselves. So once they're grown, why is it so hard to let them do it? Jane Adams interviewed over a hundred mothers and fathers of young adults to learn how they've created closer, more authentic relationships with their kids than they had with their own parents. She offers practical wisdom about how to keep families together even when distance tugs at the ties that bind. Sensible tips on holding them close to your hearts while getting them out of your house. Good advice about helping them start their careers. And first-hand strategies on getting along with their mates, giving or lending them money, offering or asking advice, being a great grandparent, coming to terms with their lifestyles, and preparing both generations for the future.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #39033 in Books
• Published on: 2001-06-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Amazon.com Review
You can strengthen your family bonds without getting tangled in them. Jane Adams tells you how to handle the ongoing challenges of postparenthood in this witty, commonsense guide to creating a healthy relationship with your grown children, whether you're an empty-nester or a "boomerang parent" with children and grandchildren living with you.

Review
Pragmatic, dead honest, compassionate. -- Dr. Pepper Schwartz, coauthor of American Couples: Money-Work-Sex

About the Author
Jane Adams is a social psychologist, journalist, speaker, and the best-selling author of nine books who has been writing about American families, personal and professional growth, and changing lifestyles for two decades. A frequent media commentator, her work has been published on line and in national newspapers and magazines.

Customer Reviews

A very helpful book to help you find your place in your adult kids lives
I thought I was the only one who felt like I could never say the right thing to my adult children. We were so close when they were at home and always understood that whatever I said, I wanted only the best for them. Once they were married and had homes and kids of their own, I felt a sense of loss along with the joy. Sometimes when I spoke to them the same way I thought I always had, I was met with a look or a comment that let me know I was overstepping my bounds. It takes time and sometimes hurt feelings to find the new boundaries and to know that they still love you and want to be close - just differently. I'm learning that on my own but this book made me feel much better knowing my situation isn't unusual. I highly recommend it!

A Gift to all Parents of Adult Children
If you have children who are about to leave home...or if they're already gone, you need to read this book. In a humorous and easy to read style, Jane Adams will guide you through the difficulties of dealing with adult children. She will also offer ways for you to be less of a parent and more of a friend. One of the true gifts of this book is the advice she gives that you should allow your children to have their own version of their childhood without them having to defend it. This relieves so much tension between parents and their children! This book is a great platform from which your future parent/child relationship can grow.

GOOD book!
My 22 y/o son says: "Momma, you always read the funniest books." But, hey... this is uncharted territory I'm in, here. A Mom's Gotta Do What A Mom's Gotta Do. :)

And for the record, we get along FINE. I just wanted to know how to best support my kids as they leave the nest and stop thinking the world revolves around me (heh), continuing on their journey to adulthood.

This book answered a lot of my questions and reassured me about a lot of the bumps in the road, my feelings, etc. It's supportive without being preachy, covers a wide range of potential situations, and yet is short enough to be an easy read.

Highly recommended.