Father’s Day 2023 and estrangement
by Sheri McGregor, M.A.
“I’m failing.”
That thought came to mind this morning. After all, I hadn’t written a 2023 Father’s Day article for dads whose adult children are estranged. Then I remembered an email I received from a kind father of estranged adult children. He wrote:
“Dear Sheri —- I got the best advice from you. That was ” THINK OF ALL THE GOOD THINGS YOU DID “— If anything maybe I did too much. But when I start to become sad, I think of your advice. For me at least that phrase helps. Thank you —– Hugs back at you. ——- Ken.”
Dear Ken, thank you for this reminder. GREAT BIG HUGS to you!
Past work for dads whose adult children are estranged
Over the course of the ten years since I began this website, I have written for dads whose adult children are estranged. Therefore, I can be compassionate to myself this year, this Father’s Day—and pull something together at the last minute too!
So, for Ken and all the other fathers, if you haven’t read my books on estrangement, Done With the Crying, or my newer title, BEYOND Done With the Crying, I hope you will. Perhaps as Ken did you will find some nuggets of wisdom within their pages. Meanwhile, here are a few links to past articles for dads whose adult children are estranged (on Father’s Day or any day, and of interest to mothers of estranged adult children as well). When you click through to read these articles, take a look at the related reading posts linked at the end of each one.
A gift for estranged fathers
As the airwaves are flowing with Father’s Day messaging; ads for “manly” stuff. My guess is that most dads would rather have the gift of time. Well, maybe a few words about how much a child has appreciated all they’ve done. For estranged fathers whose children have cut them off (also for rejected mothers), there is often a pervasive feeling: Time is running out.
Fathers on an adult child’s “cutting off”
This week, as the 3rd Sunday in June neared, you probably faced awkward comments. A co-worker’’s, “Have a great Father’s Day!” may have made you want to crawl away and hide. Or, you were asked about your plans and wished your phone would ring so you could be saved by the bell. You were probably already thinking about the day …
Estrangement by adult children: Weathering the storm
“Hollowed out.” That’s how one father of estranged adult children recently described how he feels. “Weak.”
I understand this. It’s how a lot of parents feel when they have given their all for a child, even to their own detriment, yet come up empty.
Let me tell you about some heroes
In the United States, we celebrate Memorial Day (in May) to honor those who sacrificed their lives in past wars to preserve our treasured freedoms. Since people all over the world read my books and visit this site, you may not be familiar with Memorial Day but this article relates to peace of mind and emotional freedom—sought by parents whose adult children disown them.
Hugs to everyone,
Sheri McGregor
Related reading
