Ask Darling Nikki

Not Every Absent Adult Child Is Cruel

Ask Darling Nikki's avatar
Ask Darling Nikki
Feb 09, 2026
∙ Paid

There’s a familiar story we tell ourselves about aging parents and adult children.

It usually goes like this:
If a child truly loved their parent, they would show up.
If they didn’t show up, something must be wrong with them.

This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

But that sto…

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Ask Darling Nikki.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 Ask Darling Nikki · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture