Some families glorify the child who has left home. They put up enlarged pictures of the child. They talk about the child in wistful tones. They show great concern about how other people speak about their child. They are very defensive about the child.

This is wrong.

It is dangerous to glorify a child who has left.

A child who has left home has done wrong. Glorifying that child implies that the child has done a good thing. It also raises questions about your relationship with the good children who did remain at home.

After a child leaves home, the remaining members of the family should emphasize their own integrity and continuity. They should not focus on the child who has left.

Do not glorify the child who has left. Do not search for ways in which you went wrong. Be sure to maintain a good relationship and a positive good family atmosphere with those who remain. Help them continue to flourish. Minimize the negative effect caused by the child who has left.