If you have overbearing or controlling parents, you may find it difficult to deal with or even find it exhausting. If you’re the oldest, in particular, you may find that this issue is worse for you than your siblings. Parents sometimes struggle to listen, which can make it difficult to develop a healthy relationship with them where both parties can talk openly and be heard. Though they may believe that they are helping you, if you don’t feel as though your opinion is getting through it can be frustrating.
As an adult, you need to be able to make your own decisions and be trusted to do the right thing for you and those around you. Controlling parents sometimes hinder this which can make taking stock of your own life a struggle. A healthy relationship, whether it is romantic, friendships or a family matter, requires a healthy dose of communication from both sides. Learning to cope with the issue is the first step to dealing with it – take back the areas of your life being overwhelmed, which begins with accepting that approval from your parents might never be received. Are you doing what you want or what you think they want? Try to take ownership of your decisions and go with your gut instinct.
Secondly, establish the boundaries between you and your parents. Which areas of your life are you willing to share and communicate about, and which are your sole responsibility? You should be seeking your own approval more as well, rather than relying on it from other people in your life. This doesn’t need to be rife with guilt – your life is yours alone, so any decision you make can be your own without any feeling of guilt tacked on to it. Lastly, simply state that there are certain areas of your life you don’t want to discuss when your parents interfere – if a subject arises, simply repeat this phrase and change the subject.
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