When children hit a certain age (very often, adolescence), there are many problems between the parents and adult children because of the age gap, for sure. However, Christian family counseling can be beneficial here. Let’s learn how.
What is family counseling?
Family counseling is a kind of family therapy in where the parents and adult children, are made to sit together and discuss the problems. As parents, they have certain expectations from their children about what they should do in their lives, and that comes from the emotions of protecting them. But most of the time, adult children consider the love and care of their parents as them not allowing freedom. However, this is not the case from the side of parents. They just want to protect their child and want to see them doing the best in their lives. To sort out such conflicts and create harmony between parents and adult children, family counseling in White Bear Lake can help where professionals get in touch to understand family issues and foster harmony between the members.
Common challenges between parents and adult children
As children hit adolescence, they start considering themselves as “elder” and want to make their decisions independently. And the moment their parents interrupt, they consider it as a sign that their parents want to steal their rights to make independent decisions on their own. Let us understand below some of the common challenges that occur between parents and adult children that later on can be taken care of by online Christian counseling:
Boundaries and independence
When children become adults, they want to pursue the world on their own and want to make independent decisions. But for parents, they always remain their children. The parents always want to protect them and consider them as still dependent. This can often create conflict about setting boundaries and providing independence between parents and adult children.
Unresolved childhood issues
In many cases of people who come for Christian family counseling, the experts often observe that most of the conflicts are because of some unresolved childhood problems. If there has been some trauma of childhood or some unmet expectations of the parents toward their child, they create problems as children enter adulthood.
Communication breakdown
With changes in family dynamics, adult children find it a bit tougher to talk to their parents. And very often, this creates problems. It can lead to confusion, miscommunications, and unrealistic expectations between parents and children.
Role reversal
When children become adults, it is their responsibility to take care of their parents now and do what they have done for them. Although children can never pay off for the whole lifetime of what their parents have done, they can at least show that love and care towards their parents as they become old. But many times, due to pressure of career or peer pressure or so many responsibilities coming in, adult children are not able to take proper care of their parents which often leads to guilt and frustration.
Different values and lifestyles
As children grow up, their opinion about life and how they want to live it can be different from their parents. In some cases, the parents consider it rude when their children opt for different values and lifestyles than them. For example: if there is a custom of marrying someone from your lineage in some family and an adult child breaks it, his or her parents take it as an offense and it can create problems between them.
How can family and children therapy in White Bear Lake help?
Family counseling can be very beneficial both for parents and adult children. Let us understand some of the major aspects of the same below:
Improving communication skills
Just like any other relationship, there needs to be honest and transparent discussions between parents and children as well. If children try to express their feelings and how the world has changed now than what it was at the time of their parents because of which they have certain new values towards life, parents will understand for sure. And why won’t they? They are your parents who have given birth to you, they love you more than anyone in the world. You are the world to them. They will for sure understand you and as a result, you will also be able to love them the way you always wanted to. You are just a step away from going to family counseling in White Bear Lake and developing positive relationships with your parents.
Resolving unresolved conflicts
If there are any unresolved conflicts of the past or any other things that are triggering either the parents or the children, Christian family counseling can help them resolve them. If there is some trauma that is stopping either of them from showing love and care towards the other, therapy will heal both of them and let go of the tension.
Accepting differences
One of the most important aspects of the relationship that parents have with their children is to understand that because there is a generation gap, differences will occur. As parents, you have seen a different world but for your children who have become adults now, it is different as the times have changed. That’s why it is very important to understand and accept the prevalent differences with the help of children’s therapy in White Bear Lake.
Conclusion
Online Christian counseling can benefit both the parents and adult children for sure by making them understand that irrespective of the differences or past traumas or any other fight, the love and care that both of you have for each other is going to stay forever. So why not cherish that?
