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My parents are being a pain and I dont know what to do

 
 
Reply Thu 14 Oct, 2004 11:39 am
Im 21 and I have always felt that my parents have controlled my life. I didnt get my first job untill I was 20 they thought that school was more important. I dont drive and dont have my liscence, because I never really learned to drive I would ask to drive so I could practice and they never let me. Now there telling me to go to Driving School and spend 200 dollars and I dont want to do that because I dont want to go to school with a bunch of 16 year olds Sad Then i decided that I wanted to move out but i didnt have enough money to move out on my own so i decided to move out with my fiance and they freaked. My mom said that she failed as a mother and she might as well kill herself. She doesnt like my fiance she thinks that he is controlling me and that he is lying about everything he tells them. He was discharged from the air force due to some family issues and they dont believe that could happen and he has all the paperwork to show it, I believe him and I know he isn't lying he has all this paperwork to show he isnt lying about any of it. He came over to show them one day and they were in a hurry to go see my brother that night and said they couldnt talk that night but they definately wanted to talk to him the next day because they had issues with him. Well he didnt come back because we figured that he didnt have 2 prove himself 2 them.My dad was mad because he didnt come back and I told him that he wasnt lying he had the documentation to show it and my dad just laughed and said he could make that up on the computer and that I was nieve and that I didnt know what I was doing and that they cared about me. Bull!!!! Well anyways we just got engaged and they dont know we are going to talk to them tonite and hopefully they wont give us a guilt trip. I know as soon as she finds out about this she will be on my case and try to get me to break up with him, I love this man and Im not willing to give him up just because there being like this. Help!!!! Sad
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Type: Discussion • Score: 1 • Views: 624 • Replies: 4
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jespah
 
  1  
Reply Thu 14 Oct, 2004 12:56 pm
Ah, where to begin?

You have only recently become a grown-up. You are breaking away from your parents, as nearly everyone does. But your parents are concerned about that, and don't want you to make bad choices. This is also perfectly normal. And, of course your parents have controlled your life! Until you were 18, they were absolutely responsible for you! And then, afterwards, you were living under their roof, so you were living under their rules. Hate to break this to you, but he (or she) who pays the rent or mortgage is the one who gets to set the household rules.

They did not let you work until recently because they wanted you to finish school. Yeah, that's really horrible - that they actually cared enough about your education to urge you to finish it without distractions. Check this site out: http://www.martin.fl.us/EDUC/uf/money_mgt/HE7017.html It was written in 1991 but it still holds true (scroll down to the table in about the middle of the page) - people who drop out of High School make lousy money, and graduates do better. People with college - any college - do even better, when it comes to the amount of discretionary income they have. Discretionary income means you have more money than your necessities - you can save for children or clothes or a house or car. And, an education means that you don't have to be dependent upon a man to be able to feed yourself.

As for Driving School, I went to Driving School when I was getting my license, and it turned out to be a good idea. For one thing, your state might give an insurance discount if you complete a defensive driving course. In that way, you'll earn most if not all of the $200 back. As for going to school with 16-year-olds, you may be surprised. There are plenty of people who are older who are getting their license for the first time, plus there are immigrants who are retaking licensing tests because they have to be able to show that they can read street signs in English. You may very well find that you are the youngest person in your class. Your parents are under no obligation to teach you to drive. You can also, by the way, ask your fiancé to teach you to drive.

The paperwork and the discharge papers may or may not be meaningful but, really, why do you and he feel the need to provide documentation? If his and your word is not good enough for your folks, did you ever stop to think of why this might be the case? Is there a reason for your parents to not trust your judgment? Is there a reason for them to not trust your fiancé's judgment? Be honest with yourself. And, if there really and truly is no reason, tell your folks. Give them assurances that your and your fiancé's words are to be trusted. And then back up your assertions with acts - if you promise to do things, follow through on them. If you are people of your word, reasonable people (believe it or not, your parents might actually be reasonable people) will have a hard time not trusting you.

And, ask yourself, honestly, if they might be just a little bit right about your fiancé. We don't know a lot about you from your post, so you'll have to supply the answers to these questions to yourself - are you doing the things you did before you and he met, or does he keep you from doing things that you like? Does he keep you from seeing your friends or family? Does he push you to choose between himself and your parents? You need not tell us - tell yourself the answers. And, again, be honest. Try to look at the relationship from the outside, with unemotional detachment.

As for your fiancé and your father - your fiancé said he would come over, and then he didn't, right? Isn't that the crux of it? So, essentially, what your father sees is that your fiancé was inconsiderate or at least unreliable. After all, it's just common courtesy. If you say you are coming over, and you don't, that's not very nice, no matter what the circumstances are that are surrounding the visit. At the very least, a courtesy phone call would have been appropriate.

One thing that may be freaking your folks out is the fact that this all seems very sudden. Is it? How well do you know this fellow? A year? Six months? Five years?

It looks, from here, like your parents care about you a great deal. But sometimes when parents meet a guy who they don't like who is dating their daughter, a vicious cycle can start. Daughter brings home boyfriend, parents don't like boyfriend, so daughter doesn't see parents as often as before. Then parents badmouth boyfriend when the daughter does call or come to see them so, in order to not feel that her choices are being denigrated, daughter stays away even more. And it all gets wrapped up in breaking away and growing up, and the split gets bigger. And, eventually, someone turns out to be right in the equation - possibly the daughter and possibly the parents - but in the meantime the relationship becomes damaged.

Try not to get on that merry-go-round if you can at all help it. You don't need to fall into the fighting trap. If it's true, show your folks that they have nothing to worry about. And, if their concerns are possibly founded, don't just dismiss their words because the words are coming from your parents' mouths. That doesn't mean they are any less true or valid.
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Runamuck
 
  1  
Reply Thu 14 Oct, 2004 01:14 pm
My mom was 31 when she went to driving school. She grew up in a town where they walked everywhere and my dad did all the driving anyways. Wasn't because my dad was controlling she just never needed to drive or had a desire to learn. I still drive her everywhere when I am around.

I remember waking up at 7 am during summers to driver her to work because she was to afraid to drive to the other side of Dallas. She still is but she is getting better. She is afraid of cars even though she is a pretty good driver.

She had a blow out and didn't lose control I was so proud of her. I had to drive 1 1/2 away to go fix it but I was smiling the entire time.

So suck it up go get your license. You will never see those people again so who cares what the think of you.
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Noddy24
 
  1  
Reply Thu 14 Oct, 2004 01:26 pm
TrueBrit--

Welcome to A2K.

Jespah has given you excellent advice about the ways of lovers and parents.

As for the driver's license. Your parents may well be using this as a test: Are you mature enough to raise the money, find the driving school, take the lessons and pass the test without their help?

Announcing:

Quote:
I dont want to do that because I dont want to go to school with a bunch of 16 year olds


isn't a very mature response. Besides, just how many people are sitting in the front seat of the Driver's Ed car? I'll bet just two--the student and the teacher.
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CoastalRat
 
  1  
Reply Thu 14 Oct, 2004 01:27 pm
Not much to add to what Jespah wrote.

The driving should be no big deal. My wife was 16 when we met (I was 20) and I ended up teaching her to drive because quite frankly, her dad was afraid to drive with her. She wasn't exactly upset that it was me teaching her instead of dad. Heck, it meant we had more time together. You would be amazed at how well you can get to know someone while avoiding other cars on the road. Smile

My in-laws were not too crazy about me when I first started dating their daughter. The issue then was the age difference. So they did not allow us to date for about 6-8 months after we met. I was allowed to see her only at their house while they were home. And yes, Tammy and I were not really happy about that, but I put myself in their shoes and tried to understand. They wanted to make sure that this 20 yr old was not out just to take advantage of their 16 yr old daughter. I understood that and so we followed their guidelines. And guess what. They got to know me and realized I was not some smuck whose sole interest in their daughter was evil.

I tell this story for a reason, so bear with me. Could it be your parents have an issue with this man and possibly slowing things down a bit and letting them get to know him may help the situation? You never said how long you have known him. Could this be a problem with your parents? They love you (I assume) and just want what is best for you. I suggest you and the boyfriend try to spend time with your parents. Do some things together. Have him over for dinner just to chat, without any hidden agenda on his part or your parents part. You may be surprised how quickly they may come around to liking him if he shows them the type of person he is on a daily basis.

Hope all this makes sense. I get long-winded sometimes. Anyway, good luck. I know how frustrating it can be, but give your parents the benefit of the doubt on this one and try to work it through. You don't want them saying "I told you so" someday if you get married and it doesn't work out.
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