how do I connect with the boys in my family??

Liz! I’ve loved EVERY episode of your podcast, and I can’t believe it took me this long to realize I have a boy problem. This one is maybe a little heavy but it’s been weighing on me a lot, and you and your guests always have such heartfelt advice. My mom passed away 2 years ago, she had Parkinsons and we knew it was coming, and initially I feel like it brought my dad, brother, and I closer, but now that some time has passed it’s been hard settling into a new family dynamic. For some context, we were never the chattiest family, most of our get togethers were family game nights or hikes, not deep conversations, but I was always the closest and able to have those conversations with my mom. My dad is amazing but he is an engineer and tends to change the subject when I bring up emotional things, or just doesn’t know how to talk about it. My brother likes video games and dungeons and dragons, and is similar to my dad when it comes to emotions. I feel like I’m a really different person than both of them. My problems are that I sometimes don’t enjoy hanging out as a family as much as I used to, because it’s harder to relate to my dad and brother in the same way I related to my mom, and also I feel like it always falls on me to organize family get togethers, because my brother and dad just aren’t as good at planning. I need some advice on continuing to find joy in spending time with family now that there’s less female energy there, and how to not feel so burdened with making sure we stay close, but to also not give up on connecting just because it’s harder. Thank you!

Sofia

#grief #parkinsonsdisease #family #boyproblems