How young adults can set healthy boundaries with their parents

Shot of a man and his father having an argument, parents and adult children. / iStock/Getty Images/laflor Shot of a man and his father having an argument, parents and adult children. / iStock/Getty Images/laflor

By Mitchell Qualls August 6, 2022 5 min read

When you were a child or teen, your parents set rules to protect you and help you learn independence. But now that you’re an adult, there’s been a shift. Roles look different. There is a need for different boundaries: boundaries set with your parents, not by them.

This is new territory for you and your parents. You’re learning what it means to be self-sufficient, and your parents are finding out they’re no longer in control – to whatever extent they have been. Stress and tensions can rise quickly. Chances are, you’ve seen traits in your parents that may not be healthy. Or maybe you’ve simply decided to do things differently from your parents. There must be boundaries for your relationship to continue in a healthy way.

Without healthy boundaries, tension can easily build from things your parent may do, like:

– Frequent unexpected visits.