A growing number of adults are "quiet quitting" their mothers — deliberately reducing contact to a minimum rather than cutting ties entirely — as the workplace term migrates from office life into family relationships, according to a report in Self magazine. The practice, known in clinical settings as going low-contact, involves staying in touch with a parent but limiting how often and how deeply.
Low-contact is distinct from estrangement. An estranged adult child stops communicating altogether; someone who goes low-contact might still call on birthdays, respond to texts, or attend holiday dinners while declining daily check-ins, unsolicited advice, or emotional caretaking. The reasons vary widely, from political conflict to chronic criticism to a parent's untreated mental illness or addiction.
"There's no one way to do it," the Self report notes, describing the spectrum as running from a monthly phone call to near-total silence punctuated by occasional replies. Therapists quoted in the piece say the goal is usually preserving a relationship while protecting the adult child's time and emotional energy.
The phrase "quiet quitting" entered the mainstream in 2022, when TikTok users and workplace commentators used it to describe doing only the minimum required at a job. It has since been applied to friendships, romantic partnerships, and now the parent-child bond. The pivot to family is notable because mothers are statistically more likely than fathers to be the parent adult children stay closest to — and therefore the one most affected when contact drops.
Mental health professionals generally distinguish between boundary-setting, which is negotiated and communicated, and ghosting, which is silent and unexplained. Low-contact sits between the two. Some clinicians recommend telling the parent what is changing and why, even briefly, because unexplained distance can trigger anxiety or escalation. Others advise against lengthy explanations, arguing that parents who dismiss boundaries in the first place are unlikely to accept a written rationale.
Adult children who choose low-contact often report relief within weeks, according to the report, but also guilt, especially when siblings or extended family members pressure them to reconcile. Mothers on the receiving end frequently describe confusion and grief, particularly if no reason has been given.
The approach carries no formal clinical definition, and its outcomes depend heavily on the family's history. In cases involving abuse, addiction, or severe personality disorders, therapists typically treat reduced contact as a protective measure rather than a negotiating tactic. In lower-conflict families, the same strategy can read as punishment and may harden positions on both sides.
Self's coverage frames low-contact as an option rather than a recommendation, noting that the decision usually reflects accumulated strain rather than a single event. The article does not cite survey data on how many adults have reduced contact with a parent, and no national figures tracking the practice by that label exist.
