Blog: My Adult Children Never Call or Visit Me

In a recent Dear Abby column, a widowed mother with five adult children wrote about her loneliness and the lack of communication from her children. She believed that her children were not making enough effort to stay in touch, and suggested that a "pill" was the answer to her loneliness. Dear Abby advised the mother to initiate contact with her children and suggested that she should fill her time with activities and volunteer work.

This letter highlights the narrative that parents often push onto childfree individuals: "Who will take care of you when you're older?" However, the mother's situation suggests that having children is not a guarantee that they will be there for you in your old age. Building a chosen family of support and developing relationships through shared interests is a valuable way to combat loneliness.