A leading parenting expert shares tips for surviving Mercury retrograde and improving your relationships.

We’re in the thick of the last Mercury retrograde of 2025.

Our planet of the mind and mouth, communication and commerce began its retrograde journey on November 9. Mercury will station direct on November 29 but will not clear its post-retrograde shadow until December 16.

When Mercury goes retrograde (i.e, when the planet appears to move backward in the sky), it disrupts all manner of relationships and communication, not least of all in the precarious exchanges between parents and children.

“I’ve noticed that this cosmic shift can heighten emotions for both children and parents — and if adults react harshly, it could backfire,” Roman Epishin, parenting and child safety expert, fathe

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