Don’t worry about defending yourself. You’re doing the best you can. Parenting is not easy. You have two kids who you probably raised quite similarly and yet they are both quite different... so even with our best efforts we never know how things will work out with our kids.

I’ve struggled with a relationship with my daughter. When she didn’t call or text... or even return calls or texts very often... this went on for years... I worked hard on my own hobbies and interests. It’s hard...

I’ve tried to focus on my other challenges and struggles and grow as much as I can. My daughter eventually started reaching out. It took time. Part of it was I needed to step back and respect her boundaries... part of it was I needed to expect her to also respect mine.

It’s still a struggle and a work in progress. The relationship is less than ideal. I’m with you in that I feel sad that my adult child is not a close part of my every day life. It’s hard to accept things for what they are but I think it gets easier for us when we do... or at least keep working on it and that’s the best we can do. [emoji3590][emoji3590][emoji3590]