Seniors Provide Aid for Adult Children

In this catastrophic financial storm through which so many are passing, one of the growth issues many are experiencing is seniors finding ways to help our children get through the morass.

Many talk of the younger generation, our kids, needing to pay our way when financial stress takes over.  This reality is already real. Many are already having to intervene for them. The financial overload, brought on by joblessness, inability to get through the peril of being without sufficient resources, having to come back home to live is already on the heels of many.

It is a grueling time. It is a time of broken hearts and overwhelming sadness to see that they aren’t experiencing, as we did, the fulfillment of their hopes and dreams. It is a time when having to admit to not moving into the world of self sufficiency haunts by the day. It is a time when head in hands and tears streaming down one’s face, the questions bombard, the anxiety asks:  what can we do. Send money? That is always an option. The problem is it doesn’t relieve the disappointment and the inability to quell the day to day frustrations of not making it on their own.

Omni-Presence May be the Answer

The answer to today’s question, How to help your children get through? is within these four words: BE THERE FOR THEM! Communicate, share the sadness and pain, offer your support constantly, as Whitney Houston sang: “Give them a sense of pride.” Listen. When possible, in person or vicariously, offer them the hugs they need. Talk it out. Lend them whatever advice they request and give you permission to offer. No matter what: do not judge.

The depth of love and deep compassion is what is needed at a time like this. Work it through as partners. Find that this opportunity can bring you closer. If he/she has a question, that is hard to ask and hard to answer, work it through together.Pursue the goal of coming out on the other side with ways to feel better about the situation. No matter what: do not resort to cliches. Give, offer, show genuine deep down caring and be with them, anyway you can.