Ask for small help
"Could you walk the dog?" or "Can you open this jar?" Being needed for something small — with no hidden lesson attached — feels very different from being worried about.
Small Ideas
Nothing here requires a serious talk. These are small ways to say "you're welcome in this family" without saying it out loud.
Meals with no strings
Leave a plate of something they like, without a note asking for anything. Food that doesn't come with a conversation attached is one of the safest ways to say "you belong here."
Do your hobby in the shared space
Watch your show, do your puzzle, fold laundry in the living room — relaxed, not waiting for them. A calm living room that people enjoy being in is far more inviting than an empty one that feels like a stage.
Talk through the door, briefly
"Dinner's in the fridge. Good night." No questions, no waiting for a reply. Short one-way messages keep the connection alive without demanding anything back.
Take care of yourself, visibly
Go for your walk, meet your friend, laugh at the TV. Your child notices more than they show — and seeing you okay lifts one very heavy weight off them: the fear that they are destroying your life.