“The true secret of giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not and never persist in trying to set people right.” – Hannah Whitall Smith
Is this true for one’s children, too? Methinks probably so, especially once they’re grown. It was the main barrier between my father and me. He couldn’t stop giving his advice about religion and politics and just couldn’t let it go.
It’s also probably true for adult children to remember about their aging parents. I have lots of advice for my mother, now that she’s on her own. I have to remember that I’m better off just trying to figure out how to relate to her constructively than trying to fix her.