Ron Clendenin

Practical steps to mend the relationship and find peace in the process.

When a once-close relationship with your adult child becomes strained or disconnected, it can bring a kind of heartache that is both sharp and lingering. The confusion, sadness, and overwhelming sense of loss can touch every corner of your life. It’s not just the absence of communication that hurts, but also the silence where laughter, shared moments, and mutual understanding used to live. These breaks often leave parents feeling helpless, questioning where things went wrong, and longing for some sense of peace or direction to guide them.

Here are 12 ways to help you navigate the difficult, emotional path of mending the relationship and finding your own peace along the way.

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This is what’s really at stake when politicians talk about budget savings.

When news reports discuss potential cuts to Medicaid, they use big, abstract numbers that feel disconnected from our daily lives. The debate is often framed around fiscal discipline and balancing budgets. This clinical language masks a devastating reality for millions of American families who rely on the program for the well-being of their aging loved ones.

These aren’t just line items; they represent the threads holding together the independence of seniors and the sanity of the families who care for them.

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Some family traditions feel sacred—until you realize they’re doing more harm than good.

Not all traditions deserve to be passed down. Some started with good intentions but have morphed into harmful cycles that reinforce guilt, obligation, or even emotional manipulation. The pressure to uphold family customs can make it hard to see when a tradition is actually unhealthy. But just because something has “always been done this way” doesn’t mean it should continue.

Here are some long-held family traditions that might be more harmful than you realize.

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Marriage isn’t what it used to be—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

For generations, marriage came with a rigid set of expectations. Boomer couples were told how to behave, who should do what, and what counted as a “successful” relationship. Many of those rules were based on outdated gender roles, societal pressure, or the idea that marriage should look the same for everyone. But times have changed, and younger generations are questioning whether those old guidelines still make sense.

Today’s couples are redefining what a healthy, happy marriage looks like. They’re rejecting the notion that staying together at all costs is the ultimate goal, or that love means sacrificing individuality. Relationships are evolving, and so are the rules that govern them. Here are eleven old-school marriage rules that modern couples are leaving in the past.

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Southern grandmas had a way of teaching life lessons with just a few words.

If you were lucky enough to have a Southern grandma, you probably grew up hearing a steady stream of wisdom wrapped in humor, charm, and a little bit of sass. She didn’t just give advice—she delivered life lessons in bite-sized sayings that stuck with you long after you left her front porch.

Some of her words made you laugh, some made you think, and others didn’t make sense until years later when you realized she’d been right all along.

These sayings weren’t just old-fashioned quirks—they were practical reminders about resilience, kindness, and good old common sense. And no matter where life takes you, her voice still echoes in your head, reminding you to straighten up, be kind, and never waste a good biscuit.

Here are 13 classic sayings Southern grandmas have passed down for generations.

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