An overbearingparentcan be the source of much frustration, especially once you’re an independent adult. Whether they’re trying to control your decisions or claiming they know what’s best for you, it can all get to be a bit much.
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A helicopter parent can be the worst, as this woman is finding out the hard way
Image credits:bokodi / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Her overprotective mother showed up at her work in tears because she couldn’t get hold of her
Image credits:Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The next day her mom asked her if she could install a tracking app on her phone
Image credits:The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The woman refused, saying she wouldn’t be comfortable with that, but her mom kept nagging her
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When the meeting was over, OP was about to call her when a colleague of hers let her know her mom was looking for her – she’d actually come to OP’s place of work and was wandering around outside. When OP called her, she said through tears that she was worried about her.
Well, the next day, OP’s mom asked her if she could put a tracking app on herphone. OP told her she wouldn’t be comfortable with that, but her mom insisted, saying it would only be for emergencies. OP told her that was a slippery slope she didn’t intend going down, and once again refused.
From what OP tells us, it seems she’s not just dealing with a helicopter mom, but an entitled one too. Her insistence that OP allow her to install the tracking app is a clear indicator of just how much control she’s trying to exert. If you know a parent like her, you can probably relate. So, what’s the best way for OP to deal with her? We went looking for answers.
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In herarticlefor Marriage.com, Rachael Pace writes that overprotective parenting often stems from love but can have unintended negative effects, from impacting your confidence to making it hard to make decisions independently. But just what happens when you’re constantly protected from life’s challenges?
According to Pace, it’s likely you’ll experience a lack of independence and suffer from low self-esteem. To add to that, you could experience strain in your relationships because you struggle to trust others. You might also have overwhelming anxiety when faced with unfamiliar situations.
In her post forChoosingTherapy, Ashley Stuck puts forward several strategies for dealing with a controlling parent. A few of these include setting and sticking to your boundaries, establishing realistic expectations, building a support system, reframing negative thoughts, choosing your battles, and limiting disclosure of personal info.
It certainly looks like it’s time for OP to stand her ground and tell her mom there’s no way she’s installing the tracking app, end of story. If she doesn’t, her mom is only going to keep sticking her nose in where it isn’t wanted, and nobody needs that.
Rugile Baltrunaite
Ilona Baliūnaitė
Gabija Saveiskyte
Relationships
