Hi guys, I am in my late 20s and just realized that I have only spoken to my parents a few times a year, since 2016.
**The problem is, that my parents and I are not very good at…..having a chat. Every time we spoke on the phone, it’s always something like,**
>>“What have you been up to lately? What are you getting lunch/dinner later? Alright. Bye bye.”
We live in different continent with 10 hour time difference.
– What do I say when I call them just to let them know I do still care about them?
– Last time we spoke, they mentioned that they feel distanced from me. How do I NOT make them feel that way?
Tl;dr: How to maintain/improve relationship with my parents who are a continent away from me?
1 comment
Call them once a week and have about 3-5 stories in mind to share from your life. When I was rebuilding a relationship with my brother I would write down 6 or 7 topics in my phone throughout the week and read the bullet points before I met him for lunch. Worked well.
Also, some people (especially great listeners) need time to think before they can switch from listening to talking. Allow some dead air on the phone before you hang up to give them a chance to contribute.