The truth about adult kids who don’t visit their parents  

Another significant reason adult children withdraw is the emotional residue left from childhood. Many carry deep scars from years of feeling misunderstood, unsupported, or emotionally neglected by their parents. While parents may remember doing their best, children may recall moments of criticism, invalidation, or conflict.

Dr. Jonice Webb, an expert in childhood neglect, explains that maintaining space becomes a form of survival for adults who need to protect their mental health from parents who failed to provide what was needed as a child.

“Giving yourself the emotional care you’ve lacked can help you feel better with [parents], as well as in your life,” Webb writes in Psychology Today. “It is quite a challenge to be raised by emotionally neglectful parents. And that challenge does not end simply because you grow up.”

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