Key points

Reality can feel harsh and demanding, so for some adult children, escapism is a soothing alternative.

For some adult children, it is not fantasy that leads to avoidance; it is full-on fear.

Sadly, out of guilt, parents reinforce inappropriate expectations in their struggling adult children.

In my experience as a parent coach, I hear many stories of adult children who live outside of conventional reality. Unrealistic, even grandiose, beliefs often drive them. Some have dropped out of college, or refuse to look for work (or quit the same day they started).

Other adult children described by parents who consult me are insistent that they can work passively from home, still waiting for their music to become famous, or hoping to find the next secret to becoming independently weal

See Full Page