Is "Family Loyalty" a Thing of the Past?

Key points

Around half of all families are affected by estrangement or alienation.

Fractured families can be the result of cultural or political differences that are not easily overcome.

Grandparent alienation is growing as grandkids suffer collateral damage when older generations fall out.

Family members have to decide if they want to walk away or work through their "line in the sand" issues.

Growing up, many of us may have learned the importance of sticking up for family members or bringing pride to the family name. Regardless of what you might actually think about a family member, many of us were taught to keep those opinions to ourselves, especially outside the home. If you bucked the system, you might find yourself being disciplined or ostracized within the family. Nowadays, indi