Estranged: When Your Child Stays Loyal to Everyone But You

Podcast Episode 13
Family estrangement is painful, confusing, and often misunderstood. In this episode of Estranged & Deranged, we explore one of the most difficult parts of estrangement that many parents experience but rarely talk about openly: loyalty conflicts inside families.
What happens when an estranged adult child cuts off one parent but stays connected to siblings, extended family, or even the parent who wasn’t present during their upbringing? How does loyalty shift inside families when estrangement happens? And what does it feel like when everyone around you still has access to your child or grandchildren… except you?
Candi and Chris share real experiences navigating family estrangement, including stories about siblings caught in the middle, grandchildren being removed from relationships, and the emotional toll of watching family members maintain connections while you are shut out.
This episode also builds on the powerful conversation from Episode 12, where we spoke with an estranged father about his experience and how estrangement can impact fathers differently than mothers.
If you are navigating family estrangement, adult child estrangement, estranged parent relationships, or grandparent estrangement, this episode will resonate with you.
Candi and Chris speak from lived experience, not clinical expertise. They are not therapists. They are two parents sharing honest conversations about the realities of estrangement and creating a space where these stories can finally be heard.

Resources & Website
Visit our website for more resources, podcast episodes, and ways to connect:
https://www.estrangedandderanged.net
On the website you can find:
• All Estranged & Deranged podcast episodes
• Support resources for estranged parents
• Upcoming workshops and events
• Opportunities to share your story
• Ways to connect with the community

Join Our Community
If you’re looking for support from others who understand estrangement, join our Facebook community:
When They Walk Away
We host a weekly Zoom support meeting every Wednesday evening where estranged parents and grandparents can connect, share experiences, and support each other through this journey.
You are not alone in this.

Chapters
0:00 Welcome Back – Episode 13
0:45 Why This Episode Connects to Episode 12
1:40 Our Disclaimer – We’re Not Therapists
2:20 Comment of the Week (The Eyeliner Debate)
4:30 Dealing With Online Critics and Trolls
5:40 Today’s Topic: Loyalty in Family Estrangement
7:00 Candy’s Story – When an Estranged Son Reaches Out to a Sibling
10:00 Feeling Hurt When Loyalty Feels Broken
12:15 Protecting Your Heart From Information That Hurts
14:30 When Estranged Adult Children Go In and Out of Relationships
16:45 Is Estrangement Sometimes About Power and Control?
18:30 When Families Stay Connected Except to One Parent
20:30 Chris’s Story – Being Cut Off From Grandchildren
22:45 Seeing Grandkids Through Social Media
24:20 When Estranged Children Cut Off Everyone
26:00 Loyalty Conflicts Between Parents and Family Members
27:30 Why Some Estranged Children Reconnect With Absent Parents
28:40 Finding Support and Community
29:20 Final Thoughts – You Matter

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