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Old Jun 29, 2014, 05:05 PM
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Grand Magnate
 
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: US
Posts: 4,889
Start reading up on narcissistic parents and the way they manipulate their children through guilt. It may not be 100% on, you are going to recognize some tactics your parents have been using you. Even if you choose to do nothing but observe for a while, it could be very useful to you when you are no longer dependent and in a position to break free.

I would reverse the guilt trip. "I thought you wanted me to have a successful career, but it seems like it is more important to you that I spend time with you at home. I'm really worried that I won't get a job after X/accepted into X if I don't jump at these opportunities for extra work. You're putting me in a really tough position. Don't you want me to succeed? Like you said, I can't depend on Dad's support. Maybe I should look for a full time job in case he means it this time, but then I would never see you."

Sorry, that's probably crazy and passive aggressive, but dealing with my own mother's manipulation tactics makes me so aggravated sometimes that I resort to stuff like that. The email your mother sent just made my skin crawl.

Keep talking to people your age. You will find other people in similar situations and can compare notes. Do you have a hard time saying no to other people? That was one side effect my parent's guilt trips had on me -- it's been a very long struggle to shrug off feelings of 'I have to do this' when it's something I don't want to do at all.