An overbearing parent can be a nightmare to deal with, especially once you’ve grown up and moved out of the house. Their sense of entitlement, claims that they know what’s best for you, and generally toxic behavior are enough to grind anyone down.
For one man, he was pushed past his limit when his mom decided she’d make him breakfasts that he never ended up eating, since he chooses to only eat breakfast once a week. After she wasted months of his food, he sent her packing to live with his sister, but drama soon ensued.
More info: Reddit
When you’re an adult, parents can be a pest, as this guy found out the hard way
Image credits: prostooleh / Freepik (not the actual photo)
His mother insisted on cooking him a huge breakfast every morning, even though he told her he never eats it
Image credits: gpointstudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Rather than save the meals for supper, she would just throw the food away, costing him months in groceries
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Having had enough of her belligerent behavior, he kicked her out, sending her to stay at his sister’s place
Image credits: Ok_Lavishness_3277
Now his family is calling him ridiculous and petty, so he turned to the web to ask if he was being a jerk
OP begins his story by telling the community that his sister just had a baby, so his mom is in town to help her out. He adds that his sister and her husband live in a tiny apartment, so his mom is staying with him, since he only lives 8 blocks away and has room to spare.
OP goes on to say that he only eats one meal a day during the week – supper. According to OP, his mom found this unacceptable and woke up early one morning to raid his fridge and freezer and prepare a hearty breakfast.
OP let her know that, while he appreciates the effort she went to, he doesn’t usually eat breakfast, a fact his mom thought was “stupid”. OP made it clear that she was welcome to eat anything, but not to prepare breakfast for him, since it was a waste.
Well, the next day OP’s mom pulled the same trick. He walked out without eating the meal, figuring he could just have it for dinner, but when he got home, his mom had thrown all the food away.
This irked OP since wasting food is a pet peeve of his, so he again reiterated to his mom that he would not be needing breakfast. That did nothing to stop her, though, as she made breakfast for another two days in a row.
The last breakfast was the straw that broke the camel’s back – OP packed his mom’s luggage into an Uber, dropped her off at his sister’s place, and told his doorman his guest was no longer welcome.
It didn’t take long for OP’s mom and sister to bombard him with messages, but he wouldn’t budge. Finally, his father asked him to let his mom back in, so OP said he would under one condition – his mom had to buy all her own food and keep her hands off his.
OP concludes that, while his father is staying neutral, his mom and sister think he’s being a jerk. He turned to Reddit to find out whether or not that was indeed the case.
Image credits: MART PRODUCTION / Pexels (not the actual photo)
If you’re an adult with parents, it’s likely at least one of them has overrun a boundary or two when they’ve come to visit. Why parents think they’re entitled to make decisions for their adult offspring is anyone’s guess, but it can be a real pain in the neck. So, what’s the best way to cope with a meddlesome mother once you’re all grown up?
In her article for Choosing Therapy, Ashley Stuck writes that having controlling parents can shape your life in ways that extend far beyond childhood. According to Stuck, “Parents who constantly demand obedience, dictate your choices, or undermine your independence can create an environment where it’s challenging to feel capable, confident, or free to be yourself.”
Stuck puts forward 21 signs of controlling parents, some of which include offering conditional love, interfering in all aspects of your life, manipulating with guilt, demanding blind obedience and conformity, showing a lack of empathy and respect, criticizing appearance or personal choices, and giving negative criticism.
In her article for PsychCentral, Marissa Moore writes that overbearing parents may have good intentions but can leave you feeling shameful and overwhelmed. She also puts forward a few helpful strategies to deal with a problematic parent.
From what OP tells us in his post, it doesn’t seem like he could have been any clearer with his mom about not wanting her breakfasts. Perhaps playing hardball was his only remaining choice?
What would you have done if you’d found yourself in OP’s shoes? Do you think his mother deserved to be given the boot? Let us know your opinion in the comments!
In the comments, readers slammed the mom for her failed power play and swiftly concluded that OP was not being the jerk in the situation
