The Court Gave My Estranged Mother-in-Law Access to My Kids

Content warning: This episode contains descriptions of suicidal ideation, child abuse and neglect, childhood sexual abuse, and abortion.

Whitney answers two questions about accepting a family situation you never chose and never asked for. First, a mother whose family just lost a three year grandparent visitation case. She is being mandated by family court to send her children on unsupervised monthly visits with a grandmother she doesn't believe is safe. Second, a listener who has been 15 years no contact asking the question: should the adult child be apologizing for how they behaved as a kid?

In this episode, you'll learn:

- How to separate what the court controls from what you actually control as a parent

- How to prepare a child for time with someone you don't trust, without making them afraid

- Why a child's behavior during abuse is never something to apologize for

- When accountability between an adult child and a parent is genuinely useful, and who has to go first

Whitney Goodman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and the founder of Calling Home, a membership community that helps people navigate complex family dynamics and break harmful cycles.

Have a question for Whitney? Send a voice memo or email to whitney@callinghome.co

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This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice.

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