I’m 28 and my parents think they lived their lives perfectly (got married at the right time, saved money, etc.) and they are very judgmental of myself and my sister and my brother.
My parents think all three of us should live our lives exactly the way they did. It’s great they are so happy with the choices they made, but I want to live my own life – even if I’m not happy with all the choices I made.
My parents think there is something wrong with all of us: I live with my boyfriend of several years and we are not married and don’t have kids; my brother and his wife are overweight and have a messy house but they are very happy; my sister and her husband are very poor and keep having lots of kids anyway, but I think they are happy, too.
But my parents are so judgmental – I hate my job and they criticize me for not getting one I like better – but it’s not so easy. They criticize my boyfriend because he is trying to start his own business, which I believe he will be successful at. I love that I can give him this chance.
My point is that I am trying to unlearn the habits they passed on to me to be so judgmental … it’s not easy! I am looking for some advice.
