Awards

Dear Ms. Chapman, My two daughters have been estranged since summer 2018, three years now.  One went into the Navy, soon to be stationed in Hawaii,  the other lives with her boyfriend about 45 minutes  away.  The Navy daughter and I are very close, the other older daughter also has not spoken to me in three years. When I turned 60 last September she texted me. It had been 2 ...

Phil W. reconciled with only sister after decades of estrangement. Here, he identifies the reason he distanced himself from his family. Reading Brother, Sisters, Strangers has caused me to think about my decades-long estrangement from and reconciliation with my younger sister. Often, there isn’t one dramatic cause of a ruptured relationship. In my case, estrangement was the result of a long-ago event that shattered our family and left all of us broken ...

I am the fifth of six siblings.  My father married my mother and, my oldest brother arrived all before they both turned 20.  Following the birth of the sixth child, my parents divorced.  Consequently, my mother began working out of the home and my oldest sister became like a second mother to the youngest sibling.  I, at age 8, became very independent.  I held close a best friend and her ...

Story was picked up by many news media sites, including msn.com and Yahoo.com.   https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/why-your-relationship-with-your-brother-or-sister-is-more-important-than-you-think/ar-AALlQsk?li=BBnbcA0

https://soundcloud.com/thecuriosityhourpodcast/s10-e189-fern_schumer_chapman

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brothers-sisters-strangers-sibling-estrangement-road/id1450323695?i=1000524482277

VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH Join me this evening at a virtual launch for my new book, 𝘽𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙎𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨: 𝙎𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙀𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, hosted by Barbara's Bookstore. Dr. Ramani, a YouTube sensation and expert in toxic relationships, will interview me today 6 to 7 pm (CDT). We will discuss my decades-long estrangement from my only brother and the peace he and I have experienced as a result of ...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08WHWSPNN?pf_rd_r=TM6MJ7616EJHGTX96ZBT&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=6e8add8e-18d0-4195-b475-ae31923a848b&pd_rd_w=5UDV1&pd_rd_wg=LiEKY&ref_=pd_gw_unk

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/brothers-sisters-strangers-fern-schumer-chapman/1137365007?ean=9780525561699

When people who love each other can’t be together, it’s heartbreaking. And when a child is too young to understand a prolonged cut-off from a beloved relative or friend, everyone hurts.However, the pandemic -- particularly the upcoming holidays -- actually is an opportunity to speak frankly with your young children about the big emotions they feel. Consider the following points as you help young children manage their emotional reactions and ...