How To Respond When Someone Asks About Your Family And You're Estranged

When someone asks about your family and you’re estranged, it can be challenging to respond in a way that feels both honest and comfortable. Here are a few approaches depending on your level of openness and comfort with the person.

Keep it vague

You can respond briefly without going into details. For example:

• “We’re not really in touch much these days.”
• “They’re doing well thanks.” And then change the subject.

Shift the focus

You can steer the conversation away from the topic by responding and then pivoting to something else:

• “I’m not really in touch with them, but I’ve been focusing a lot on my work.”

• “I don’t see my family much lately. How have you been?

Be direct, but brief

If you’re comfortable acknowledging the estrangement, you can do so without going into detail:

• “I’m estranged from my family and haven’t spoken to them lately.”
• “I’m not speaking to my family right now, but thank you for asking.”

Set boundaries

If someone is pressing you for more details than you’re willing to share, you can politely set a boundary:

• “I’d prefer not to talk about my family, but thanks for asking.”

Choose what feels right for you based on your comfort level and relationship with the person asking.