Daughter's Dependence Finally Reaches Breaking Point
Dear Abby | August 19th, 2025 | Letter 1 of 3
DEAR ABBY: I am 65, single and retired with an almost-40-year-old bipolar child. Although she's compliant with her meds, she also self-medicates and sometimes must be hospitalized due to her mania. She doesn't work and refuses to apply for any aid. I have stopped paying for her needs other than food, shelter and helping financially with her dog. Last time, before her expected release, my conditions were simple -- be medication-compliant, clean up after herself and the dog, and no drugs or alcohol in my house. I have given her three months to find employment. If these conditions aren't met, I am bracing myself to no longer house her. I really would like to have my own life. When is it all right to push a kid out of the nest? -- ENOUGH ALREADY IN NEW YORK.
DEAR ENOUGH: By now you should realize that you may have been enabling your daughter rather than helping her as you intended. If she's unwilling to follow your rules, assert yourself now. You have passed the point at which you should be living your own life.
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