I’m sure some people will assume I’m automatically telling you to cut off your parents. No. But if you have a truly toxic parent, or caregiver who refuses help, then what options are left? I will never think it is ok to take someone abuse, simply because they are a parent. Or family member, as we all already know. Parents are no different. I talk about the lack of capacity for that type of love. Simply put, they are probably hurting themselves. Does this then justify the behavior? Absolutely not. I talk about shifting the responsibilities. It was the responsibility of the parent to be the caregiver that child needed. So why would a child be responsible for continuing a relationship that never met their needs to begin with? This is not to judge ANY parent, but boundaries aren’t about hating the other person. It’s about loving yourself enough to know that you deserve better, and no one gets a free pass to make you feel unimportant- even your parents. Through the actions of the parents, or lack there of, that is exactly what it feels like as a child. My needs and wants were never important enough to be acknowledged. It should never be the child’s responsibility to maintain the toxic relationship. It should fall in the parent to seek help. You will always love your parents, but it is never a child’s responsibility to counsel their parent for any reason.