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When 400 parents showed up to her first class, Kim Muench knew immediately: "It's a pain point."

In this deeply personal episode, certified parent coach Kim Muench opens up about the crisis unfolding in homes across America: adult children stuck at home, consumed by screens, unable to launch into independent life. Screen addiction is the one common denominator across ALL of Kim's clients—young men (primarily) and women ages 19-29 who are directionless, glued to gaming or social media, living at home with no clear path forward.

But here's what makes this conversation different—this isn't just professional observation. Quinn reveals her own struggle with her 23-year-old daughter Avery, who lives at home, works and pays rent, but is battling depression and screen addiction. Six months ago, they created a contract together: responsibilities, goals, rent that increases $100 every three months. It's a process.

This is the episode where professional boundaries dissolve and we're all just parents trying to figure out how to help the young adults we love. Naila contemplates screen time choices for her 18-month-old daughter ("she gets irritated if she doesn't get to watch as much as she wants"). And Kim shares the hard truth: sometimes parents have to start with the basics—getting a young person to simply bring their dishes out of their room.

In this episode:

• Why screen addiction affects young men differently than young women (gaming vs. social media)
• The difference between economic barriers and being "lost in place"
• Kim's Four C's for parents: Calm, Confident, Clear, Consistent
• What parents actually control (and what they don't)
• Family living agreements: how to create them WITH your young adult, not FOR them
• The three things parents control: how you show up, what you provide, how you respond
• Why some parents are working with 45-year-olds still at home—and how to avoid that
• The parenting paradigm shift happening right now
• What happens to this generation by 2040?

Powerful quotes:

• "Our children come through us, not for us, except for the lessons they reflect to us during their journey in an effort to grow us up along the way."
• "I did not sign up for this—if you decided not to go to college and you're not working full time and I'm still paying for everything in your life."
• "Parents think they're past the work and that's not the case."

Kim's upcoming book, Lost in Place (November 2026), will be the comprehensive guide for parents who feel alone in this struggle. This conversation is a preview of that hope—and a reminder that you're not the only one facing this.

Guest: Kim Muench, Certified Parent Coach, Dallas, Texas
Website: reallifeparentguide.com
Social: @kimmunchparentcoach (Instagram & TikTok)

Topics: Failure to launch, lost in place, screen addiction, emerging adults, parenting challenges, mental health, gaming addiction, Gen Z struggles, family living agreements