Clients frequently contact me because they have an over-18-year-old “child” who they classify as a “failure to launch.” What does that really mean and is there anything that a parent can do about the situation?
Failure to launch means that your now age-of-majority “child” is unable to fly the nest and take care of himself or herself. Perhaps he or she has not finished high school, or may have already started college and been overwhelmed. Perhaps he or she has been unable to handle the academic or social pressures of being away from home. Your extremely bright child has all of a sudden realized that the real world is not as forgiving as mom and dad, and being accountable all of a sudden really means something. Going to class, doing assignments as well as giving in completed work are all practice runs for when a student enters the work world. If he or she does what is expected, then entering the professional world may go more smoothly; if he or she does not, then most likely the transition into the adult world of expectations becomes much trickier.
This is where the failure to launch programs lend a helping hand. There are many types of programs which deal with failure to launch issues. Some of these programs will concentrate on learning challenges that may or may not have been previously identified. Some programs will put more of an emphasis on students who may have more of a clinical presentation, struggling with anxiety or depression. Some conditions may have been treated previously, but with the additional stress of college may begin to take on more of a daily presence in a student’s life. And there are programs where the concentration may be on a population where substance abuse or gaming may have tripped up a student. In each type of program, the treatment plan is tailor made to the presenting issues. These programs also help your child to learn the necessary life skills which will enable a healthy return to previous life, armed with additional tools to help navigate the world more successfully.
The important thing for parents to keep in mind is that having a failure to launch child does not mean that there is nothing that can be done. There are many good options available that offer hope not only to your child, but with hard work on everyone’s part, to the entire family unit as well.