Brooklyn Beckham’s recent social media posts about a bitter family feud sparked the following topics: estrangement of parent and child Research shows that this type of crack has been on the rise for years, the headline says.
According to a Cornell University study, more than a quarter of Americans (approximately 67 million people) report being estranged from family members. family member. One of them is Laura Wellington of Connecticut, known on social media as “Doormat Mom.”
Research shows that most estrangements occur gradually, but Wellington said hers was sudden and unexpected. He initially took part in planning his daughter’s wedding, but was suddenly told that he would not be attending.
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When Ms. Wellington resisted, both her daughter and her daughter’s fiance blocked all contact with her in 2024, she told FOX News Digital in a recent interview.
“I was literally completely blindsided by this,” she said. “The pain of being cut off, it’s a pain you can’t explain unless you feel it.”
widow mother of four I shared my experience on TikTok.
“I just said what I thought and didn’t specifically mention my daughter,” she said. “I came out with a very heavy attitude and said something to the effect of, ‘Are you really a good parent and raised an ungrateful young child?'”
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Wellington was “inundated” with responses from parents from not only the United States, but also Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia and other countries, she said. “They wanted to share their feelings and share their impact. They needed support.”
Since posting her first video in August 2024, Wellington has become a massive social media She has a following of about 150,000 people on TikTok and Instagram, including other moms in similar situations and quite a few critics.
Wellington said she has heard from many parents who have experienced deep sadness, loneliness and even suicidal thoughts after being estranged from their adult children.
“My parents were embarrassed to talk about it,” she says. “They felt that if they talked about it, the first thing they’d ask was, ‘So, what did you do?'”
Wellington says alienation is becoming a more normalized way to deal with family tensions, even in the absence of abuse or neglect.
She blames several factors for driving the division, including political and cultural differences and “societal narratives that destroy families.”
“The basics are lacking, traditional family values “…The loss of faith, the loss of grounded principles, and the loss of education that’s happening in our country. The way these things are being distorted today is that disowning your parents is the first thing you should do, not the last thing you should do,” Wellington said.
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“We’re at a crossroads in this country, because what’s the point in saving our country if we don’t have a united family to save it?”
In December 2024, over the weekend of her daughter’s wedding, Wellington self-published her book “Doormat Mama, No More!”
“I married a new life, so to speak,” she said. “It’s no longer my personal story, it’s become the story of many people.”
In Wellington, we also received calls from young people asking for repairs. Parent-child relationship.
“There are amazing young people out there who really want answers, who want to solve problems and who want to build relationships,” she said.
Mr Wellington acknowledged that adult children can be justified in ending a relationship in cases such as abuse or neglect.
Dr. Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist in New York City, told Fox News Digital: estrangement of parent and child Politics is becoming more involved and more common.
“I regularly work with families whose alienation is not caused by political identity or voting behavior, but by abuse and neglect,” he said. “Parents are marginalized because of who they vote for, what news they watch, and what opinions they express.”
“What once would have been treated as a difference of opinion is now treated as moral harm.”
Alpert echoed Wellington’s argument that alienation is becoming automatic and reflexive.
“When a parent’s beliefs are labeled as ‘dangerous’ or ‘toxic,’ separation from the parent feels justified and necessary,” he says. “Alienation becomes a form of moral signaling rather than a last resort against real harm.”
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Alpert said the psychological effects could be “severe” if adult children are placed on “no contact.”
“Parents often experience deep sadness, confusion and shame,” he says. “Adult children may feel empowered at first, but then many suffer from unresolved anger, stubbornness, and reduced emotional tolerance, which then reverberates. Other relationships In the same way. “
Alpert’s biggest concern, he said, is that alienation will increasingly manifest as: mental health.
“In reality, mental health often involves learning how to stay connected across differences,” he said. “When therapeutic language and political culture reward rupture rather than repair, families remain divided long after the arguments have died down.”
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Alpert emphasized that there is a difference between boundaries and alienation.
“Boundaries allow a relationship to continue with limits, but estrangement can end a relationship completely,” he said.
For parents who are worried about separation from their parents adult childrenMs Wellington warns that trying to force a settlement could actually make the situation worse.
“You can’t force them into a relationship with you,” she said. “Once you start chasing them, you give up your autonomy. If they choose to leave you, you just have to let them go.”
“Let life teach you, if you’re going to come back, you’ll be back.”
Ms Wellington said it was important for parents in her situation to focus on moving forward with their lives.
“Go on, create a life for yourself that you’re proud of, and find happiness,” she advised. “If they come back, they’ll know you’re here.” doing well and thriving. ”
Looking to the future, Wellington said she thinks there is “always hope” that she might one day be reunited with her daughter.
“I hope she understands that the same women who want to do everything in their power to keep this family afloat are the same women who created this platform to help others survive,” she said. “And I hope she sees her mother as a strong woman.”
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Alpert agreed that reconciliation is possible, but said that “reconciliation becomes more difficult when marginalization is reinforced by social reputations, online communities, etc.” political identity. ”
“Repair requires a shared belief that relationships can be maintained despite differences,” he added.
