Helping or handicapping? How to support your adult kids without enabling them with Claudia Noriega-Bernstein

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of Don’t Shrink to Fit, I get real about one of the hardest truths for modern parents: the fine line between supporting our adult children and enabling them.

Drawing from my own experience as a mom of three daughters, I share personal stories, practical tools, and insights from research, including why 76% of parents who financially support their adult children suffer negative consequences. From boundaries to budgets, steak dinners to Uber Eats, this conversation is an honest, compassionate guide for anyone parenting grown kids in today’s world.

If you’ve ever found yourself torn between helping your child and holding them accountable, this episode is for you.

🛠 Key Takeaways:

• Support ≠ Entitlement: Why financial help must come with boundaries, structure, and clear expectations.
• Love With Limits: How to offer temporary support that empowers rather than rescues.
• Teach, Don’t Fix: The importance of guiding your kids to problem-solve instead of constantly stepping in.
• Help vs. Handicapping: The cost of enabling adult kids—emotionally, financially, and developmentally.
• Real-Life Examples: How I handles support in her own home, including paying for needs, encouraging independence, and teaching budgeting skills.
• Parenting Evolution: A reminder that it’s okay to grow, shift, and parent differently as your kids—and you—evolve.

👉 Ready to break free from guilt-based parenting and start raising resilient, self-sufficient adults?
Tune in now and share this episode with a fellow parent who needs to hear it.

📩 Curious about my Inner Radiance membership? DM me on Instagram @claudia_noriega_bernstein or subscribe to my newsletter to learn more!

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[e-mail] - You can also connect with me on instagram @Claudia_Noriega_Bersntein or visit my website at ClaudiaNoriegaBernstein.com, you will learn about my 1:1 coaching, retreat and training.

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