Dear Annie:

Most nights, my phone lights up with our family group chat. My husband and I have three grown kids in their 20s, and I love seeing their jokes, photos, and silly updates. It makes me feel like we are still all under one roof.

Last week, my son accidentally left his phone on our kitchen counter while I was cleaning up. A notification popped up from a group chat titled “Just The Kids.” I did not open it, but the preview showed a few messages. One was my daughter saying, “Do not tell Mom, she will overreact like always,” followed by laughing emojis. Another was my youngest complaining that I “make everything a big emotional thing.”

I put the phone back and pretended I had not seen anything, but I have felt sick to my stomach ever since. I keep replaying their words and wonderin

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