What do you do when a well-meaning parent seems incapable of showing up for you during hard times?

6 comments

1. Drop the rope and no longer invest my time or energy into that relationship

2. i appreciate their effort but don’t rely on them. build your own support system of other family, friends, neighbors, whatever. so if your parent shows up, that’s cool, but you’re not depending on them. it’s sad, but you gotta care for yourself.

3. It’s sometimes best not to rely on others, that way they won’t let you down. It’s not easy, but it’s sometimes necessary. I have given up hoping for help and support, at the end of the day I know the only person I can depend on is myself.

4. Consider therapy, sometimes group therapy is more affordable. That will give you the tools to put up boundaries with the parent and build a support system of like minded friends.
   You can’t change the way your parent shows up, you can only change your reaction/ how it effects you.
   Good luck and you aren’t alone!!

5. Free yourself of expectations. Take power!

6. Don’t rely on them, unfortunately. Parents are just people. If they aren’t capable of being parents, you gotta let go of that definition of them and move on with your life.