#intergenerational-solidarity

[ follow ]
#friendship
fromSilicon Canals
2 hours ago
Relationships

Psychology says the loneliest part of getting older isn't being alone - it's realizing that some friendships were only meant for a season, and not everyone grows with you - Silicon Canals

Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

I walked away from a fifteen-year friendship last year and the hardest part wasn't the loss. It was realizing I'd been auditioning for a role the entire time, and the version of me that friendship required was someone who never disagreed, never needed anything, and never outgrew the dynamic. The grief wasn't for the friend. It was for the years I spent performing. - Silicon Canals

True friendship requires authenticity and conflict, not just compliance and absence of disagreement.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
2 hours ago

Psychology says the loneliest part of getting older isn't being alone - it's realizing that some friendships were only meant for a season, and not everyone grows with you - Silicon Canals

Friendships often fade as adults prioritize responsibilities and seek deeper connections, leading to feelings of loneliness even among familiar faces.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

I walked away from a fifteen-year friendship last year and the hardest part wasn't the loss. It was realizing I'd been auditioning for a role the entire time, and the version of me that friendship required was someone who never disagreed, never needed anything, and never outgrew the dynamic. The grief wasn't for the friend. It was for the years I spent performing. - Silicon Canals

True friendship requires authenticity and conflict, not just compliance and absence of disagreement.
Running
fromiRunFar
1 day ago

Building Community the Old Fashioned Way

Building relationships through shared training experiences enhances the running community.
#lgbtq
LGBT
fromLGBTQ Nation
9 hours ago

New report shows affirming adults are critical to the success of LGBTQ+ students - LGBTQ Nation

LGBTQ+ students face challenges but find community support, with positive outcomes linked to inclusive policies and supportive educators.
fromLGBTQ Nation
1 week ago
Parenting

Adoption is a beautiful way to build a family. But it's not one-size-fits-all. - LGBTQ Nation

Adoption has various paths, each with unique processes, costs, and timelines, requiring thorough understanding before proceeding.
LGBT
fromLGBTQ Nation
9 hours ago

New report shows affirming adults are critical to the success of LGBTQ+ students - LGBTQ Nation

LGBTQ+ students face challenges but find community support, with positive outcomes linked to inclusive policies and supportive educators.
Parenting
fromLGBTQ Nation
1 week ago

Adoption is a beautiful way to build a family. But it's not one-size-fits-all. - LGBTQ Nation

Adoption has various paths, each with unique processes, costs, and timelines, requiring thorough understanding before proceeding.
#reliability
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
15 hours ago

There's a kind of exhaustion specific to people who grew up in the 1960s and 70s - not physical tiredness but the cumulative weight of having been reliable for so long, for so many people, with so little reciprocity, that they genuinely cannot remember what it felt like to be the one who was taken care of - Silicon Canals

Reliability can overshadow personal identity, leading to emotional exhaustion and a lack of self-care.
Careers
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

I was always the reliable one - the one who showed up, remembered, rearranged, and absorbed - and it took me until 58 to wonder whether anyone would have come looking if I'd stopped - Silicon Canals

Being the reliable one can lead to personal neglect and invisibility in relationships.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
15 hours ago

There's a kind of exhaustion specific to people who grew up in the 1960s and 70s - not physical tiredness but the cumulative weight of having been reliable for so long, for so many people, with so little reciprocity, that they genuinely cannot remember what it felt like to be the one who was taken care of - Silicon Canals

Reliability can overshadow personal identity, leading to emotional exhaustion and a lack of self-care.
Careers
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

I was always the reliable one - the one who showed up, remembered, rearranged, and absorbed - and it took me until 58 to wonder whether anyone would have come looking if I'd stopped - Silicon Canals

Being the reliable one can lead to personal neglect and invisibility in relationships.
Education
fromPsychology Today
12 hours ago

Using Human Kindness as a Shield Against School Violence

Billions are wasted on ineffective security measures for schools instead of investing in mental health resources and social support systems.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
9 hours ago

People who stop trying to be liked are often accused of having an attitude - by the people who most benefited from them having none - Silicon Canals

Setting boundaries often leads to others perceiving you as difficult or having an attitude problem, despite unchanged competence.
Healthcare
fromSan Jose Spotlight
1 day ago

Flaherty: Veterans deserve generational healing in their own community - San Jose Spotlight

Aging Vietnam War veterans require urgent support for housing and healthcare as they transition into the 65+ demographic.
Social justice
fromAdvocate.com
1 day ago

Beyond awareness: How youth leadership is reshaping the HIV response

Young people, especially Black and Latinx youth, face significant barriers in HIV advocacy and decision-making despite being heavily impacted by the epidemic.
fromBoston.com
1 day ago

Wife of Maine father who died saving his children opens up about their 'love story'

"Of course, Ryan left this world in a heroic way. There was no other way for a real-life angel like him to go."
SF parents
#aging
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago
Psychology

Psychology says people who accomplish more in their 60s than they ever did in their 40s aren't working harder - they've stopped spending energy on things that were never truly theirs to carry - Silicon Canals

Parenting
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

There's a particular grief that hits when your parent asks you for help with something they used to do effortlessly, and neither of you acknowledges what just shifted. You both pretend it's a preference. It's not a preference. It's the first visible transfer of authority that neither of you consented to. - Silicon Canals

Aging parents often disguise their need for help as preference, masking the underlying shift in the parent-child power dynamic.
Parenting
fromSilicon Canals
1 week ago

The most painful thing about watching a parent age isn't the physical decline. It's the moment you catch them deferring to you on a decision they would have made without hesitation ten years ago, and you both feel the transfer of authority that neither of you agreed to. - Silicon Canals

The real challenge of aging parents lies in the subtle shifts of authority and uncertainty in their decision-making.
Retirement
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

10 subtle signs you're still in the prime of your life (even if you're over 70) - Silicon Canals

Life after 70 can be vibrant and fulfilling, marked by authenticity and deep relationships.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says people who accomplish more in their 60s than they ever did in their 40s aren't working harder - they've stopped spending energy on things that were never truly theirs to carry - Silicon Canals

Successful aging involves selective focus, where individuals prioritize meaningful activities and optimize their performance rather than increasing effort.
Parenting
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

There's a particular grief that hits when your parent asks you for help with something they used to do effortlessly, and neither of you acknowledges what just shifted. You both pretend it's a preference. It's not a preference. It's the first visible transfer of authority that neither of you consented to. - Silicon Canals

Aging parents often disguise their need for help as preference, masking the underlying shift in the parent-child power dynamic.
Parenting
fromSilicon Canals
1 week ago

The most painful thing about watching a parent age isn't the physical decline. It's the moment you catch them deferring to you on a decision they would have made without hesitation ten years ago, and you both feel the transfer of authority that neither of you agreed to. - Silicon Canals

The real challenge of aging parents lies in the subtle shifts of authority and uncertainty in their decision-making.
Arts
fromwww.npr.org
5 days ago

How a stranger's kind words stayed with a father and daughter

John's daughter Keane suffers from PANDAS, a neurological condition, and the family's journey highlights the importance of support and recognition from others.
Public health
fromThe Nation
2 days ago

Public Health Needs to Get Off the Laptop and Into the Streets

Transformational experiences in South Africa with TAC emphasized the importance of community engagement and effective communication in health education.
fromHigh Country News
2 days ago

Tribal leaders reflect on a year of uncertainty - and possibility - High Country News

Indigenous communities have seen dramatic changes, from rescinding land-management policies that were more inclusive of Indigenous knowledge to reducing $1.5 billion in climate funding for tribal initiatives.
Washington DC
Digital life
fromwww.businessinsider.com
3 days ago

I quit my software engineering job to help seniors with tech. I assist them with things like recovering photos and bank accounts.

Adrian Amora transitioned from software engineering to a tech concierge role to enhance job satisfaction and help older adults with technology.
Remote teams
fromFortune
3 days ago

Will you be my (work) friend? The new reality of making and keeping a work friend in the hybrid world | Fortune

Making friends at work is challenging in a remote environment but can alleviate loneliness and improve workplace relationships.
Philosophy
fromApaonline
3 days ago

Promoting Civic Friendship: The Transformative Power of Public Spaces

The neighborhood in Lisbon faces challenges due to population growth, infrastructure strain, and a need for community-driven solutions like SAAL.
#identity
Writing
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

I've been useful my entire life - to my employer, my family, my parents when they were aging - and I'm only now beginning to understand that being useful and being known are not the same thing, and I've had plenty of the first and almost none of the second - Silicon Canals

Being useful does not equate to being known or valued as a person.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Psychology says people who feel purposeless after 50 aren't lost - they've simply outgrown a self that was built entirely around what other people needed from them - Silicon Canals

Identity can be lost when roles defined by others are removed, leading to a journey of self-discovery.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

My father became someone I dreaded visiting somewhere in his late 60s - not suddenly, not through any single thing, but through the slow accumulation of a bitterness I watched arrive like weather and settle into his personality as though it had always been there, and the hardest part was not the bitterness itself but the fact that I could see exactly where it had come from and could not find a way to say so without making it worse - Silicon Canals

Disappointment can transform identity, leading to bitterness when circumstances change beyond one's control.
Writing
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

I've been useful my entire life - to my employer, my family, my parents when they were aging - and I'm only now beginning to understand that being useful and being known are not the same thing, and I've had plenty of the first and almost none of the second - Silicon Canals

Being useful does not equate to being known or valued as a person.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Psychology says people who feel purposeless after 50 aren't lost - they've simply outgrown a self that was built entirely around what other people needed from them - Silicon Canals

Identity can be lost when roles defined by others are removed, leading to a journey of self-discovery.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

My father became someone I dreaded visiting somewhere in his late 60s - not suddenly, not through any single thing, but through the slow accumulation of a bitterness I watched arrive like weather and settle into his personality as though it had always been there, and the hardest part was not the bitterness itself but the fact that I could see exactly where it had come from and could not find a way to say so without making it worse - Silicon Canals

Disappointment can transform identity, leading to bitterness when circumstances change beyond one's control.
fromFilmmaker Magazine
4 days ago

"What Solidarity Really Looks Like": Yael Bridge on Who Moves America

Drivers were delivering packages in deadly heat with no air conditioning; part-time employees, the majority of UPS' workforce, have been unable to receive benefits. Wages aren't rising at the same rate as the cost of living.
Independent films
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
12 hours ago

The people who grew up in houses where money was tight but the table was always set properly, the shoes always clean, and guests always fed before family - they didn't learn class from wealth, they inherited it from someone who refused to let scarcity become an excuse - Silicon Canals

Class and dignity are intertwined, with true self-respect stemming from resilience in hardship rather than wealth.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Longevity researchers say the single behavior most strongly linked to healthy aging isn't exercise, diet, or sleep - it's maintaining at least one relationship where you feel genuinely known rather than merely recognized - Silicon Canals

Warm relationships at age 47 predict better health at age 80 more than biological factors like cholesterol levels.
Parenting
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 days ago

My father-in-law lives with my young family but I don't want to sandwich parent'. What should I do? | Leading questions

Caring for an aging parent while raising a child can create overwhelming responsibilities and emotional challenges.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

People who always respond with "fine" when asked how they are aren't lying - they learned, at some specific point in their life, that the true answer produced outcomes that were worse than the silence, and fine has been the silence ever since - Silicon Canals

Personal experiences with anxiety and emotional responses reveal deeper truths about coping mechanisms and the challenges of authentic communication.
fromLGBTQ Nation
3 days ago

Classmates subjected a young teen to "relentless" homophobic bullying. Then tragedy struck. - LGBTQ Nation

Leyton's mother stated, 'None of the boys in that school accepted him. They told him they would never accept him for the way he spoke. He was a sassy speaker, more feminine - not the 'hard boy' type. This wasn't going on for just a little while.'
LGBT
#grandparenting
NYC parents
fromwww.businessinsider.com
1 week ago

I started raising my grandson just a few months into my retirement. My wife and I want to give him a good life, but it's financially draining.

Martin Odum and his wife are raising their grandson Noah, who has spina bifida, after previously raising their granddaughter.
Parenting
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

Children and the Age of "Why?": Lessons for Grandparents

Curiosity in grandparents fosters connection, adaptability, and emotional health, enhancing relationships with grandchildren.
NYC parents
fromwww.businessinsider.com
1 week ago

I started raising my grandson just a few months into my retirement. My wife and I want to give him a good life, but it's financially draining.

Martin Odum and his wife are raising their grandson Noah, who has spina bifida, after previously raising their granddaughter.
Parenting
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

Children and the Age of "Why?": Lessons for Grandparents

Curiosity in grandparents fosters connection, adaptability, and emotional health, enhancing relationships with grandchildren.
Retirement
fromwww.nytimes.com
1 month ago

Opinion | The Fantasy of a Comfy Retirement Has Always Been a Mirage

Rising living costs and government support cuts are causing despair among older and younger Americans regarding their financial futures.
Careers
fromFast Company
4 days ago

Laid off? Lean on your relationships, not your network

Job cuts due to AI are rising, emphasizing the importance of building strong relationships before layoffs occur.
Social justice
fromMission Local
4 days ago

Sunset residents wanted a nonprofit out. Decades later, it proved itself to them.

Sunset Youth Services evolved from community skepticism to a major youth service provider, focusing on building relationships and improving opportunities for at-risk youth.
Writing
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

The children who grew up in the 60s and 70s didn't become the toughest generation because their childhoods were harder - they became the toughest generation because their childhoods were honest, and honest is different from hard because hard can be survived passively but honest requires you to look at what is actually in front of you and deal with it as it is - Silicon Canals

Childhood experiences of honesty and reality foster resilience and strength, contrasting with modern tendencies to shield children from uncomfortable truths.
#emotional-health
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

The friend who always checks in on everyone but never tells anyone when they're struggling isn't hiding. They've simply never had the experience of someone noticing without being told, and after long enough, the idea of being spontaneously seen starts to feel like something that happens to other people. - Silicon Canals

Being the emotional caretaker in friendships can lead to neglecting one's own emotional needs and feelings.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
2 weeks ago

People who were always the strong one in the family often become the loneliest person in the room after 65. Every link must be real and accurate - Silicon Canals

Being the strong one in a family can lead to profound loneliness in later life due to a lack of emotional reciprocity.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

The friend who always checks in on everyone but never tells anyone when they're struggling isn't hiding. They've simply never had the experience of someone noticing without being told, and after long enough, the idea of being spontaneously seen starts to feel like something that happens to other people. - Silicon Canals

Being the emotional caretaker in friendships can lead to neglecting one's own emotional needs and feelings.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
2 weeks ago

People who were always the strong one in the family often become the loneliest person in the room after 65. Every link must be real and accurate - Silicon Canals

Being the strong one in a family can lead to profound loneliness in later life due to a lack of emotional reciprocity.
#parenting
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
2 days ago

My Mom Seems to Think I Owe Her for Raising Me Alone. I Don't Want to Pay Her Price.

Family relationships shouldn't be transactional, and one is not obligated to provide childcare for a parent.
Parenting
fromScary Mommy
2 days ago

Do You Spend More Time With Your Kids Than Your Parents Did With You?

Parents today engage more with their children than they experienced in their own childhood.
fromSlate Magazine
3 days ago
Parenting

My Kids' Cousins Beat Them at the Easter Egg Hunt. What My Wife Did to "Even" the Playing Field Is Despicable.

Parenting
fromScary Mommy
3 days ago

If Your Kids Lead Easy Lives, Do You Need To "Manufacture Hardship"?

Parents face a conflict between providing comfort and teaching resilience to their children.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
5 days ago

I Once Thought Parents Were to Blame for What My Family Is Going Through. Now I Realize How Wrong I Was.

Focusing on one small change at a time can help manage chaos in a busy household.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
5 days ago

Our Neighbor's Kid Behaved Badly. But My Husband's Reaction Crossed a Line.

The husband's reaction to a child's theft of strawberries was excessive and dangerous, crossing moral and ethical boundaries.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
2 days ago

My Mom Seems to Think I Owe Her for Raising Me Alone. I Don't Want to Pay Her Price.

Family relationships shouldn't be transactional, and one is not obligated to provide childcare for a parent.
Parenting
fromScary Mommy
2 days ago

Do You Spend More Time With Your Kids Than Your Parents Did With You?

Parents today engage more with their children than they experienced in their own childhood.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
3 days ago

My Kids' Cousins Beat Them at the Easter Egg Hunt. What My Wife Did to "Even" the Playing Field Is Despicable.

Stealing Easter eggs from cousins to balance the hunt is a poor lesson for children.
Parenting
fromScary Mommy
3 days ago

If Your Kids Lead Easy Lives, Do You Need To "Manufacture Hardship"?

Parents face a conflict between providing comfort and teaching resilience to their children.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
5 days ago

I Once Thought Parents Were to Blame for What My Family Is Going Through. Now I Realize How Wrong I Was.

Focusing on one small change at a time can help manage chaos in a busy household.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
5 days ago

Our Neighbor's Kid Behaved Badly. But My Husband's Reaction Crossed a Line.

The husband's reaction to a child's theft of strawberries was excessive and dangerous, crossing moral and ethical boundaries.
#loneliness
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Psychology says the loneliest generation in history isn't Gen Z - it's the boomers who raised everyone, hosted everything, and are now sitting in quiet houses wondering where everybody went - Silicon Canals

The loneliest generation today is not Gen Z, but the baby boomers who once held social connections together.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

Psychology says the loneliness most common after 70 isn't the loneliness of being alone - it's the loneliness of being surrounded by people who love the version of you that you've been performing for forty years - Silicon Canals

Loneliness can stem from being surrounded by loved ones who only know a curated version of oneself.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

There's a certain kind of loneliness that only hits after 60 - not the loneliness of being alone, but the loneliness of being with people who love the person you've always been and have no idea who you're becoming - Silicon Canals

Loneliness after sixty stems from being surrounded by people who see an outdated version of oneself, not from physical absence.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Psychology says the loneliest generation in history isn't Gen Z - it's the boomers who raised everyone, hosted everything, and are now sitting in quiet houses wondering where everybody went - Silicon Canals

The loneliest generation today is not Gen Z, but the baby boomers who once held social connections together.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

Psychology says the loneliness most common after 70 isn't the loneliness of being alone - it's the loneliness of being surrounded by people who love the version of you that you've been performing for forty years - Silicon Canals

Loneliness can stem from being surrounded by loved ones who only know a curated version of oneself.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

There's a certain kind of loneliness that only hits after 60 - not the loneliness of being alone, but the loneliness of being with people who love the person you've always been and have no idea who you're becoming - Silicon Canals

Loneliness after sixty stems from being surrounded by people who see an outdated version of oneself, not from physical absence.
Retirement
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

The emptiness many people feel after 70 isn't the absence of purpose - it's the absence of an audience, and those are completely different problems with completely different solutions - Silicon Canals

Retirement often leads to a loss of audience, not purpose, causing feelings of uselessness among retirees.
fromNonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.
5 days ago

Finally Free, Leonard Peltier Offers Intergenerational Wisdom for Resistance | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.

Thank you...for being able to fight for my freedom. But what's more important than that is that you continue to fight for your land and to continue to fight for your people and all people.
Social justice
#family-dynamics
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says the adults most likely to feel invisible in their own families are not the most difficult ones - they're the ones who made themselves so consistently available, so reliably capable, so quietly present, that everyone around them stopped noticing the person and started relying on the function - Silicon Canals

Reliability can lead to emotional invisibility within family dynamics, where the capable individual is overlooked despite their struggles.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
3 days ago

I Know Why My Son Moved Back Home. I'm Scared to Find Out Why He's Staying.

A conversation about living arrangements and financial contributions is necessary between the father and son.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

Most families have one person everyone loves but nobody genuinely listens to - and psychology says that person almost always knows exactly who they are, has known for decades, and long ago stopped hoping anyone else would figure it out - Silicon Canals

Family dynamics often lead to certain voices being unheard, creating an invisible hierarchy that affects communication and connection.
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago
Relationships

If you want to feel more appreciated by your family as you get older, say goodbye to these 9 behaviors most Boomers don't realize push others away - Silicon Canals

Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Psychology says the adults most likely to feel invisible in their own families are not the most difficult ones - they're the ones who made themselves so consistently available, so reliably capable, so quietly present, that everyone around them stopped noticing the person and started relying on the function - Silicon Canals

Reliability can lead to emotional invisibility within family dynamics, where the capable individual is overlooked despite their struggles.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
3 days ago

I Know Why My Son Moved Back Home. I'm Scared to Find Out Why He's Staying.

A conversation about living arrangements and financial contributions is necessary between the father and son.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

Most families have one person everyone loves but nobody genuinely listens to - and psychology says that person almost always knows exactly who they are, has known for decades, and long ago stopped hoping anyone else would figure it out - Silicon Canals

Family dynamics often lead to certain voices being unheard, creating an invisible hierarchy that affects communication and connection.
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago
Relationships

If you want to feel more appreciated by your family as you get older, say goodbye to these 9 behaviors most Boomers don't realize push others away - Silicon Canals

Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

I'm 65 and I recently realized I have spent my entire marriage being the strong one, and now that I actually need someone to be strong for me I don't know how to ask without feeling like I'm dismantling a promise I made forty years ago - Silicon Canals

Long-term role rigidity in marriage can lead to one partner becoming the sole pillar, creating an imbalance that may hinder growth and change.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

Two generations are currently arguing about work ethic when what they're actually arguing about is whether suffering should be a prerequisite for dignity. One generation believes it is because that was the deal they were offered. The other is trying to renegotiate. - Silicon Canals

Generational differences in work ethic stem from a broken contract between Boomers and Gen Z regarding dignity and economic stability.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

Starting a Family: If Not Now, Then When?

Cultural pressures create a double bind around timing, leading to self-blame and uncertainty in major life decisions like parenthood.
Relationships
fromEntrepreneur
3 days ago

What Kids Understand About Networking That Adults Ignore

Curiosity fosters meaningful connections and opportunities, while adults often hesitate to engage with others.
Parenting
fromIndependent
4 days ago

My parents help lots with childcare, but they let the kids play on screens too much. Can I raise this without sounding ungrateful?

Grandparents should align with parents on childcare rules, especially regarding screen time.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Not everyone who keeps a small social circle is protecting their energy. Some of them built a wide one once, watched it reveal exactly how many people would show up during an actual emergency, and quietly restructured around the answer - Silicon Canals

Small social circles often result from past crises that reveal true friendships, rather than a preference for fewer connections.
fromIndependent
4 days ago

Share the load and the cost: Why more parents are having joint birthday parties for kids

Birthday parties are supposed to be fun, and they are, but they can also be hard work, not to mention very costly for parents.
Parenting
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

I'm in my 30s and I just understood something about my father that therapy never gave me. He didn't withhold affection because he didn't feel it. He withheld it because in the world he came from, the moment you showed someone how much they meant to you was the moment you gave them the power to destroy you. - Silicon Canals

Emotional withholding can protect against vulnerability, revealing deeper love and care beneath perceived indifference.
#grief
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

Psychology suggests people who become difficult to be around with age are almost always carrying an unprocessed grief - for the life they expected and didn't get, for the recognition they believed they had earned and never received, for the version of themselves they were supposed to become - and the difficulty is what that grief sounds like when it has been stored as resentment for long enough to become the way they experience everything - Silicon Canals

Unprocessed grief can manifest as bitterness and negativity, stemming from unfulfilled dreams and unmet expectations in life.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

Psychology suggests people who become difficult to be around with age are almost always carrying an unprocessed grief - for the life they expected and didn't get, for the recognition they believed they had earned and never received, for the version of themselves they were supposed to become - and the difficulty is what that grief sounds like when it has been stored as resentment for long enough to become the way they experience everything - Silicon Canals

Unprocessed grief can manifest as bitterness and negativity, stemming from unfulfilled dreams and unmet expectations in life.
Relationships
fromSlate Magazine
4 days ago

My Fiancee Reconnected With Her Useless Mother. Now She Has Some New "Ideas" About What Our Life Should Look Like.

The couple faces significant disagreements about children, finances, and family relationships, raising concerns about their future together.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

The person in your life who never complains and handles everything isn't at peace - they learned so early that expressing a need cost them something that they stopped expressing needs entirely - Silicon Canals

Being perceived as 'low maintenance' can lead to neglecting personal needs and emotional struggles.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
3 weeks ago

People who were always the strong one in the family often become the loneliest person in the room after 65 - Silicon Canals

A strong family role can lead to isolation and unrecognized mental health needs in older adults when their support role diminishes.
Online Community Development
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

No One Is Coming to Help-Except Your Neighbors

Building community-led resilience networks and mutual aid groups nationwide enables neighbors to support each other through overlapping crises including climate change, inequality, and government violence.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

I'm 66 and my wife Donna said something last week that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. She said the reason our sons don't call more isn't because they don't love me. It's because I taught them that strong men don't need checking on, and they believed me. - Silicon Canals

Father-son silence often reflects learned emotional stoicism rather than a broken relationship, demonstrating that strong men don't need to check in.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

The hardest thing about being the calm one in a family is that your steadiness becomes load-bearing. Everyone leans on it, nobody asks what holds it up, and the day you finally crack, people don't comfort you. They panic. Because your collapse threatens the architecture, and the architecture was always more important than you were. - Silicon Canals

The calm family member often bears the burden of emotional labor, managing others' feelings while suppressing their own.
Parenting
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

People who grew up being the one their parents confided in didn't become mature faster. They became adults who can't tell the difference between being trusted and being used, because the two things arrived in the same conversation and nobody told them those were different experiences. - Silicon Canals

Emotional parentification involves children taking on adult roles, leading to hypervigilance rather than true emotional maturity.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 week ago

Psychology says the reason older people stop caring isn't emotional withdrawal - it's that they've finally learned to distinguish between what actually matters and what they were only caring about out of social obligation - Silicon Canals

Older individuals prioritize emotional connections over superficial relationships as they age, focusing on what truly matters in their lives.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
3 days ago

My Neighbor Said Something Unacceptable to My Daughter. My Husband Refused to Step Up-So Someone Had To.

Addressing sexual harassment is crucial for the well-being of the victim.
#family
Parenting
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

I'm 66 and the thing that broke me open this year was not a loss or a diagnosis or anything large - it was my grandson falling asleep on my chest on an ordinary afternoon, his whole small weight trusting me completely, and I sat there unable to move and understood that this is what all of it was for, not the career or the mortgage or the decades of doing the right thing, just this, just him, just now - Silicon Canals

Life's true value lies in small moments with loved ones, not in achievements or material success.
Parenting
fromSilicon Canals
5 days ago

I'm 66 and the thing that broke me open this year was not a loss or a diagnosis or anything large - it was my grandson falling asleep on my chest on an ordinary afternoon, his whole small weight trusting me completely, and I sat there unable to move and understood that this is what all of it was for, not the career or the mortgage or the decades of doing the right thing, just this, just him, just now - Silicon Canals

Life's true value lies in small moments with loved ones, not in achievements or material success.
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

The art of being the oldest person in the room: 7 habits of people over 60 who never feel invisible in younger company - Silicon Canals

The people who never feel invisible? They're the ones asking questions. My buddy Frank is seventy-one. When his grandson talks about some video game, Frank doesn't say 'When I was your age, we played outside.' He asks, 'What do you like about it? How does it work?' And he actually listens to the answer.
Miscellaneous
Business
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

9 lessons people raised in working-class families carry into adulthood that no amount of career success fully replaces - because the values were never about money, they were about who shows up - Silicon Canals

Working-class values prioritize genuine relationships and resourcefulness over career status and material wealth, creating lasting life foundations.
Miscellaneous
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Some Good News for Sandwich-Generation Caregivers

Caregiving across multiple generations strengthens family bonds, boosts emotional well-being through serotonin release, and builds resilience despite financial and role-related challenges.
Real estate
fromBusiness Insider
2 months ago

Our new neighbors helped us during an emergency. Now, 6 years later, they're like grandparents to our children.

A sudden basement flood after moving prompted retired neighbors to rescue the family, forging an unexpected, lasting friendship that became like extended family.
Medicine
fromBuzzFeed
2 months ago

I'm Caring For My Aging Father. It's Taken Over My Life.

Father likely has Alzheimer's causing profound cognitive decline; eldest daughter carries unpaid caregiving responsibilities, manages medical decisions and paperwork, and experiences emotional burden.
Parenting
fromScary Mommy
3 weeks ago

Before It's Too Late, One Reddit Mom Wants You To Do These Things With Your Parents

Document your parents' everyday moments, voices, and skills through simple recordings and videos before it's too late, as these ordinary memories become irreplaceable.
fromThe Nation
2 months ago

If Something Happens to Me: A Letter to My Daughter

There are nights when we lie in your bed, fairy lights glowing above us, the city humming softly outside, and you tell me what has been sitting with you all day. Side by side under your pink quilt, you know I am all yours. It was during one of those nights when you asked me a question I couldn't answer right away.
Social justice
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

The generation that fixed everything, asked for nothing, and held every family together is now being told their values are outdated - psychology says the opposite is true - Silicon Canals

Older generations' values of resilience, duty, and sacrifice correlate with better mental health outcomes than modern avoidance of discomfort, according to psychological research.
Parenting
fromBusiness Insider
1 month ago

My twins go to preschool at a nursing home. Its taught them about empathy and grief.

An intergenerational preschool program prioritizing empathy and community connection with seniors develops children's social-emotional skills beyond traditional academic readiness measures.
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

I asked a group of grandparents what they know now that would have made them better parents and the room went so quiet I thought I'd asked the wrong question - and then one woman said something that made three people cry, and what she said was only nine words long - Silicon Canals

I should have said 'I don't know' more often. That woman's nine words unlocked something in the room. Suddenly everyone wanted to talk about the exhausting performance of parental certainty they'd maintained for decades.
Parenting
Relationships
fromHuffPost
2 months ago

The 1 Type Of Friendship You Might Not Realize You Need

Friendships across 10+ year age gaps offer mentorship, fresh perspectives, emotional support, spontaneity, personal growth, and renewed purpose when balanced to avoid one-sided dynamics.
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

People who maintain close bonds with adult grandchildren always practiced these 8 habits when they were young - Silicon Canals

Recently, I was at a family gathering when I noticed something fascinating. My friend's grandmother, in her eighties, was completely surrounded by her adult grandchildren. They weren't just there out of obligation - they were genuinely engaged, laughing at her stories, asking for advice, and making plans for their next visit. Meanwhile, at another table, I watched a different grandmother sit mostly alone while her adult grandchildren stayed glued to their phones, offering only polite nods and forced smiles.
Relationships
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
1 month ago

The real reason your aging mother insists on sending you home with food every time you visit isn't habit - those containers are the only thing she can still give you that you'll actually accept and every one you return empty is proof she's still needed - Silicon Canals

Parents often use giving food and leftovers as a tangible way to continue caregiving and preserve purpose when their adult children become independent.
fromSilicon Canals
2 months ago

9 habits of grandparents who build unbreakable habits with their grandchildren - Silicon Canals

When I was eight, my grandmother taught me how to make her famous apple pie. But it wasn't really about the pie. Every Saturday afternoon, we'd stand side by side in her kitchen, her weathered hands guiding mine as we rolled out dough. She'd tell stories about her childhood, ask about my week at school, and somehow make me feel like the most important person in the world.
Relationships
Relationships
fromBusiness Insider
2 months ago

I raised my grandchildren after my daughter and son-in-law died. Now 87, it wasn't how I expected retirement to be.

An 87-year-old raised her grandchildren after both parents died while still working, facing emotional strain and generational caregiving challenges.
fromwww.npr.org
2 months ago

Want to be part of a village? You might need to get out of your comfort zone

People say it takes a village to do difficult things: raise a child, sustain a community, build a barn. But we don't often talk a lot about what it takes to be a villager. What does it mean to not just be in a community, but to help create one? Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, says the key is to put yourself out there, even if it's scary.
Relationships
[ Load more ]